I Know I'm A Wolf
by Not Your Typical Teenager
Summary: He was a criminal—a common thief. One that eluded them twice before. An egocentric, chaotic and complex person. And yet, he saved her. Now, he's going to have to team up with the Titans again to bring her back. Red X/Starfire/Robin. Cover from pinkuchama on tumblr. Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter One

**Author's note: Hi there! Just a few things I have to get out before you start reading:**

 **1.) I just recently re-watched the entire Teen Titans animated series, which inspired me to write this story! The events here take place after the ending of Season 5, but before the movie Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo. The title is the same as the song by Young Heretics, listen to it** — **it'll give you a sort of background on my story.**

 **2.) Yes, it is based off the animated series, and I haven't read the comics so... please be nice to me! (I did do extensive research on each of the characters so... yeah thanks )**

 **3.) I wrote this as if it were one of the episodes playing in my head so I'm sorry for any sudden changes in POV, plus it's gonna be a little fast-paced cuz like I said, it's playing in my mind like one of the episodes in the original series.**

 **4.) I really didn't want to be redundant and keep saying that "Red X was smiling underneath the mask", so whenever he's expressing something, it's always under the mask unless I specify that he is unmasked. Also, it applies to his eye movement, since the slits on the mask for his eyes widen and narrow like real ones based off the series.**

 **Hope y'all like it and don't forget to check out my Jelsa fic "Never Let Me Go". Tell me what you guys think by leaving a review down below :D Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

"QUIT FLIRTING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND!" Kid Flash shouted, throwing an angry punch at Red X but ultimately missing him by a hair's breadth. Red X teleported a few inches to the left of his punch to dodge it. "About time someone did," he said, "You're just jealous because you aren't giving her the attention she deserves." This only made Kid Flash angrier, sending a gatling gun of punches in Red X's direction. "I can do this all day," Red X quipped, his digital voice dripping with sarcasm, the speed of his teleportation matching the blows delivered by Kid Flash. When he decided that it was time to finish this, he reappeared behind Kid Flash and kicked him in the behind with enough force to send him crashing to the brick wall across from them. He raised his gloves and released an adhesive X that pinned Kid Flash against the wall. He groaned, trying to break free to no avail. Red X smirked.

He turned to pick up his loot, which were two sacks of money he had stolen from Jump City Bank, and found Jinx's black platform boot on it. "You're not going anywhere," she said with a grin, her pink eyes reduced to slits. Just as they were about to glow, signaling her release of bad luck, Red X threw another X at her, this time aimed at her eyes. She gasped when the X blindfolded her, clawing at it with her long pale gray fingers. "Asking you out is my job. How about a candlelit dinner for two, Saturday night?" Red X whispered in her ear from behind, backing up just in time for her to turn and punch at him blindly. He ducked under her arm and kicked his foot beneath her as he spun, sweeping her off her feet. Behind him, he heard a low bubbling noise; Kid Flash had somehow melted the adhesive X, which was now a pile of red goo on the floor. "Get away from her, you perverted psycho!" he yelled, torn in a moment's hesitation between stopping Red X and helping his girlfriend. In that moment though, Red X saw smoke billow ing from Titan's Tower. His smile widened.

"Try to keep up next time, kids," Red X said, giving his signature two-fingered goodbye salute before disappearing, completely forgetting about the two sacks of cash on the floor and leaving behind his bounty for the day.

* * *

"TITANS, GO!" Robin yelled. Starfire engaged, headed straight for her sister amidst an army of green gooey monsters. Blackfire had returned to Earth from banishment, along with an army of schlurches courtesy of Starfire's ex-fiancé, Glgrdsklechhh. "What's the matter, sister dear?" she cooed, easily dodging Starfire's starbolts. "Missed me?"

"Why have you escaped banishment?" Starfire asked instead. "You are a criminal and you should be brought to the justice!"

"Can't I just visit my baby sister and see if she's behaving well?" Blackfire's eyes glowed purple, shooting lasers at Starfire, which she was unable to elude. She yelped, falling back to the ground. Blackfire continued to fire at her nonstop—thank goodness for Tamaranean resilience. When the smoke cleared, Blackfire gulped; Starfire remained standing, her forearms crossed before her, her eyes narrowed and glowing bright green. "I will not do the behaving well if you continue to pursue this evilness!" Starfire took off, teeth gritted, flying with lasers shooting out of her eyes at Blackfire.

As the sisters' battle raged in the sky, the other Titans were busy taking down the schlurches. They were on top of Titans Tower, which was now covered in sticky green glop that looked like mucus. Beast Boy was in his giant gorilla form, smashing the schlurches two at a time with his mighty fists. Cyborg, though covered in slime, continued to blast the aliens out of the tower with his sonic cannon. But one of the schlurches sent a projectile of slime at his cannon, jamming it and allowing its companions to overpower him. "Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" Raven yelled, her eyes glowing bright white, dark energy tearing the schlurches apart and reducing them to nothing but slime. "Thanks, Rae!" Cyborg yelled over the disgruntled gurgling sounds of the schlurches. Raven waved a hand that cleared Cyborg's cannon, which allowed them to resume battle.

Realizing that they were about to be thwarted by the Titans, the remaining schlurches joined forces to create one huge slime monster. The slime beast roared, sending splats of slime at the Titans. Raven stood in front and created a shield to protect her friends from the splatters. The four Titans stood side by side, wondering the exact same thing—"How do we get it off our roof?" Raven asked monotonously, though there was a pinch of annoyance in her voice as she scraped slime off of her cape.

"Leave it to me," Beast Boy said, and was just about to turn into a T-Rex when Robin stopped him. "If you turn into anything heavier than an ape, you'll destroy the tower. We have to get it off before we destroy it. Raven, Cyborg, now!"

The combination of Raven's dark energy and Cyborg's sonic blast was enough to send the schlurch falling off the tower's edge. Beast Boy leaped after it, morphing into a blue whale—or in his case, a green whale—mid-fall, completely squashing the schlurch, its slimy remains splattering across the façade of Titans Tower. Cyborg grumbled in exasperation. "BB you're cleaning this mess up!" he yelled in irritation, his eyes narrowed. But their miniature victory was short-lived as the splatters on the walls turned into more schlurches. Without pausing, Robin dove, his retractable staff at the ready, shooting a grappling cable when he was far enough down. As he swung, he engaged at the schlurches with ferocity, slicing them in half and disemboweling them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Starfire still fighting Blackfire, the two sisters locked in a hand-to-hand fight as they fell from the sky. Blackfire was stronger than Starfire, but Starfire was more determined. She broke free of Blackfire's grasp and turned in mid-air, blasting her sister's back with her starblasts, sending her crashing to the earth quicker and with more force. There was a low boom when she collided with the ground, a plume of dust engulfing her. She was just about to finish her off with one more blow when a spaceship emerged from the clouds, sleek silver and midnight blue in color. The windshield was tinted dark black—so dark it looked almost opaque. The design was like their T-ship's, only edgier and larger. She wondered who the intruder was, but she didn't stop to find out. A lethal-looking space gun emerged from below the craft, aimed right at her. "Eeep!" she yelped. The gun released a silvery energy beam, which Starfire eluded by flying straight up. Blackfire was also alarmed as she emerged from the plume, forgetting about her plot against her sister and attempting to fly away. Starfire glared at her sister, determined to stop her once and for all, and pursued her. She wove in and out of the energy beam's path, as did her sister. It seems as though it targeted _both_ of them. She was hot on her tail, a starbolt ready in her hand, when the silver beam finally caught her. She screamed; she writhed in pain, electricity flowing through her veins, causing her to halt and her starbolt to falter. She felt as though the beam was some sort of vacuum that pulled at the very fibers of her being. She had to escape; she did not like this feeling. But by the time the beam released her, she was already unconscious.

* * *

Red X was busy scaling the other, _cleaner_ side of Titans Tower when he froze. He saw Starfire caught in a beam of sparkling silver, and saw green energy escape Starfire's body. The green energy was sucked back into the space-gun from which the beam was emitted from. His eyes widened as she fell from the sky when the beam released her. As far as he could tell, she was unconscious, spinning uncontrollably in the air. His nerves tensed; his pulse quickened as adrenaline coursed through his veins. He waited to see if Robin saw her, if he would save her as he saw many times before. A few seconds passed; Starfire was still descending quickly. "He's taking too long," Red X grumbled, "What is that _kid_ doing?"

He rolled his eyes, jumping off the wall and teleporting without hesitation, reappearing a few feet above Starfire. He made sure his cloaking device was turned on so as not to get sighted by the Titans, his hands outstretched in front of him, ready to grab her. "Almost there, cutie," he said to himself, "al... most... there..." He was desperately trying to extend his reach, her long hair tickling his fingertips. Finally, he caught hold of her waist with one arm and with the other, he shot an X-hook at the tower just a few feet before they hit the ground, their momentum swinging them around to the back of the tower. He landed on his feet with a grunt, holding Starfire's body tightly against his. He was still invisible, and she was still knocked out cold, her head lulling back. He laid her down on the rocky surface gently, resting her upper body on his knee, brushing her soft red hair from her face. Red X looked up to see the spaceship that attacked her hovering in the airspace above the tower, firing lasers at the Titans when they engaged. One by one the slimy green things retreated after Starfire's sister, who was nowhere to be seen. It looked like none of the Titans were coming to Starfire's aid very soon—he couldn't just leave her here while she was vulnerable and while that ship was still after her. Red X slapped his forehead in indignation, releasing a low and exasperated breath. He produced and placed an X-shaped device on the buckle of Starfire's belt, the device beeping thrice before instantly making her invisible, too. The sensor in Red X's mask allows him to see her still, so he was able to carry her bridal style without difficulty. He looked back once more at the hovering ship, which was being attacked by the Titans, and then at Starfire, whose lashes were fluttering slightly. "A hero's gotta do, yada yada yada," he mumbled under his breath as he started to walk.

* * *

 **Author's note: Sooo... what do you guys think? REVIEW!**

 **Happy Holidays!**


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's note: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! 'Cause I'm elated by the positive feedback I've had on this story, I decided to try this thing where I reply to your reviews so:**

 **To MG:** **Thanks for the first review! Gotta be honest with you though: I made it a personal rule where I don't read other fanfics with the same category as mine (unless my story's done) 'cause I easily get intimidated and lose heart in what I'm writing so... sorry if this one sounds a bit cliché to you but I can promise you that Red X doesn't technically kidnap Starfire, and I guess that you'll have to keep reading to find out who she ends up with ;)**

 **To Guest and Loftcat27:** **Thanks! Really glad that you enjoyed it and I hope you stick around to keep reading :D (Btw, Loftcat27 I like your prof pic!)**

 **I'm gonna try and keep these A/Ns short so that you don't have to scroll down to get to reading. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Faves/follows are greatly appreciated! Also, don't forget to check out my Jelsa fic "Never Let Me Go", which I will be updating soon. REVIEW!  
**

 **Happy Holidays guys!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

* * *

Starfire turned to her side. Her joints were sore and stiff, and her back ached from her bed, which has never happened to her before. She turned again. _This bed is certainly not mine,_ she thought, feeling the hard mattress with her fingers. She opened her eyes with great difficulty, her lids almost glued shut. When she finally opened them, her vision was blurred. She blinked a few times, her surroundings coming into focus. There was a rotating ceiling fan above her head, with cracks spread out across various parts of the ceiling that continued off into the wall. Plaster was peeling off the walls, and the room smelled damp, but it didn't bother Starfire that much. She sat up on the thin mattress laid on top of a rickety wooden bed. There was minimal furniture in the room she was in, save for a bedside drawer with a lamp on top and a coat hanger with a red hoodie draped on it by the door. The only source of light in the room was from the window above the table, which was boarded up. A wall clock, which read half past twelve noon, ticked silently on the wall above the door.

The door creaked open; Starfire stood up immediately, her head spinning slightly at the sudden movement. "Eeep!" she yelped in surprise, seeing none other than Red X, clad in his dark suit, standing in the doorway with a tray in his hands. "Afternoon, cutie," he said, his digital voice light and jovial. She could feel that he was smiling, and he was a lot more cheery than she remembered. "I thought you'd never wake up—sort of. You've been out for a day." Starfire narrowed her eyes, while his eyes widened when she began screaming.

"WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT ME HERE? HOW DARE YOU HOLD ME CAPTIVE UNDER THESE TERRIBLE LIVING CONDITIONS!" He merely raised an eyebrow when she started to wave her hands around, throwing invisible starbolts at him. She froze, staring at her hands in disbelief—for a brief moment before she started screaming again.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY POWERS? I DEMAND THAT YOU GIVE THEM BACK TO ME!" she said, stomping her foot like a child. He was fighting so hard not to laugh. Smoke was coming out of her nose, her lips pouted angrily, her hand reaching for something in her pocket. Before he could talk, she screamed—again, this time throwing whatever she could get her hands on at him.

"YOU ARE THE BIGGEST _ZORRGNARG_ I HAVE EVER MET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!"

"Whoa, a _what?_ Take it easy there—" he began, ducking and dodging to the side to avoid the pillow and lamp she threw at him, finding it difficult to keep the items he had on the tray upright. "—it took me the entire morning to look for these!"

"I DEMAND THAT YOU RETURN THE ITEMS THAT YOU STOLE FROM ME, YOU _CLORBAG_ _VORBLERNEK_!"

"What are you talking—hey!"

Starfire lunged at him, spilling the contents of his tray and knocking him backward. She landed on top of him as she searched his belt, her fingers grazing the hard planes of his abdomen, sending fire trickling up to his face and down to his toes. He blushed under the mask, unable to contain his already wide smile. "You're going to have to be more _thorough_ than that, cutie," he said, propping himself up on his elbows and waggling his eyebrows at her. Starfire blushed a deep red, jumping up and off of him with a high-pitched yelp, crossing her arms over her chest. "I do not wish to search y-your _grebnax_ —I-I would never! I simply ask that you hand me my communicator, please," she said, the last bits quieting down to a whisper, avoiding his gaze.

"Look what you did," he grumbled, completely ignoring her request, walking past her and into the room, where a pile of purple berries lay scattered on the floor. "You're lucky that the mustard didn't spill, otherwise I'd have you drink it off my floor. Where is it anyways?" he muttered, picking the berries up and putting them in the bowl they came with, which remarkably was still in one piece.

"Pardon me? I am most confused at this moment."

"I was supposed to bring you your lunch, cutie, but then you _harassed_ me. As for your communicator, I don't have it—but you're more than welcome to search me again for it, just to be sure." Starfire turned an even deeper shade of red. He chuckled, setting the bowl of berries on the bed and bending down to reach for the mustard under it. "Bon appétit," he said, gesturing to the bed, where her food waited. Red X turned to leave, his chest brushing her arm as he walked around her, closing the door behind him.

She huffed indignantly, rubbing her cheeks in hopes to stop the blush spreading to her face. She inspected the berries he brought her, sniffing and licking them. She closed her eyes, expecting the worst. After reluctantly taking a bite, she exclaimed in delight as the familiar, bitter juice filled her mouth. "Zorkaberries!" Her stomach grumbled, and she feasted on the berries, munching it down quickly, finishing off with a large gulp of mustard. _Pity that Red X didn't get the value sized one_ , she thought, wiping her chin with the back of her hand. She stood in front of the only window in the room. Through the thin cracks, she saw that they were high above a busy street, but it didn't look like Jump City to her. The town seemed _gloomier_ , for some reason. She sighed, staring down at her hands. She concentrated, her forehead scrunched up and her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth, but no starbolts appeared. She closed her eyes, focusing her mind on the joy of flight, but still, her feet remained stuck to the ground. There was only one way to get the answers that she needed—and it was behind the door of her room.

She gulped.

* * *

Red X was casually watching TV when he heard the door creak open. He was still in his suit, his arms spread across the backrest. "Red X?" Starfire said, her voice calmer than before. "Forgive me for my behavior earlier. I have come to say that I appreciate the zorkaberries that you procured for me. Wherever did you find them?"

"You can find _everything_ in the black market, cutie. And I'm glad you liked them; they were really expensive," he said, grabbing the remote and flicking through several channels. Starfire took a look around. On her right was a small kitchen with a small, dirty counter and an even smaller fridge. On her left was an empty, dusty shelf that housed nothing but cobwebs and a broken radio, and a door that possibly lead to the bathroom. Even the couch Red X was sitting on looked as if it had been long since used, with several tears here and there, the bottom lining tattered and frayed. She sat beside him, but he refused to look at her. His heartbeat quickened.

"Please, however did I end up here? I am afraid that I do not remember much of the events that transpired yesterday," she asked, her head cocked to the side, her fiery red hair falling over her shoulder. Red X muted the TV, and answered, "You were in a bit of a sitch, really. Your sister's back, there were slimy green monsters everywhere, and this spaceship thing came and took your powers."

"And then?"

"And then you were knocked unconscious. You fell out of the sky and I saved you, then I brought you here." he said. Afterwards, he unmuted the TV and continued watching.

"Where exactly is 'here'?" she asked.

"Way outside of Jump City. Far enough away from danger."

"But my friends—it is most important that I contact them straight away. Please, give me back my communicator—"

"Listen, cutie, I don't have it. _I swear_."

"How am I to believe any word that you say?" she said, her voice rising.

"But I didn't take it! Honestly!"

She stood up, pointing an accusing finger at him while her other hand rested on her hip. Her brows, albeit small, were knitted together in anger. "You claimed that you were a thief and nothing more. All that you have done in the past is steal and lie and keep secrets. How am I supposed to trust the words of a criminal like you when it is all that I know about you?"

Red X was silent. His heart was pumping madly in his chest, his eyes narrowed. He'd been called _worse_ , but it didn't matter. He turned the TV off and stood up, his shaky fists balled up at his sides. Starfire tensed; he was slightly taller than her, his gaze through the mask sending chills down her spine as he stared her down. "I couldn't care less what you think of me," he said, his digital voice dark and husky, "Just be damn grateful that _I_ saved _your_ life." And with that, Red X stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him, leaving a startled Starfire behind.

* * *

Back in Titans Tower, Robin was slowly losing his mind, pacing back and forth in front of the crime scanner while Cyborg manned the controls. Beast Boy and Raven weren't back yet, and he hoped beyond all hope that they would return with Starfire. "Anything yet?" he asked, unable to keep the edge off his voice. Cyborg shook his head. Robin's eyes narrowed. "Then keep looking."

"Man, Star took a hit. I'm sure she's just out there, gathering her strength or something," Cyborg said, but nonetheless, he continued searching.

"Have you run scans on the _thing_ that attacked her?" Robin asked.

"Not yet. I need to get a sample of that to get a full molecular scan. As far as we're concerned, it's _not_ from around here."

Raven entered the room through a portal on the floor, hovering inches off the ground. She let her hood down, saying, "I can't make psychic contact with her, either. She must be somewhere outside the city, somewhere far enough that I can't reach her."

Robin slammed his fists on the table furiously, cracks appearing where he hit it. He was breathing hard, his head throbbing. How could he just let her out of his sight? Why didn't he go after her in the first place? _Stupid green blobs of slime_ , he cursed in his head. A million questions ran through his mind, giving him a migraine. He pressed his fingers against his temples, massaging them gently. Then the doors slid open, and Beast Boy came rushing to them. "Dudes, look!" he said. On the table he set down pieces of a broken communicator. Cyborg scanned the pieces, and said, "This was definitely Starfire's. Her prints are all over it."

"Where did you find this?" Robin asked, picking up a few of the pieces tenderly.

"It was down by the base of the tower. I think it must've fallen out of her pocket or something," Beast Boy said, scratching his head. He morphed into a bloodhound, his front paws on the table's edge, sniffing the broken communicator and whining. "So, how are we gonna find her now?" Raven asked.

Robin made his way to the crime scanner, his fingers rapidly drumming against the keypad. "We find whoever attacked her, and bring them to justice."


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note: Here's the next chapter! My updates are real quick 'cause I've had this story stuck in my head for a while but before that, let me reply to your reviews (because this site doesn't allow authors to reply to guest reviews hmp so unfair):**

 **To vi:** **No need to apologize hehehe I love RobStar too :D I think that they're so frickin adorable especially after re-watching the entire series! I believe that Miss Geek just doesn't want other authors to be influenced by the reviews that would seemingly affect their writing. Anyways, I still appreciate your reviews and trust me, no harm done :) If it means anything, maybe you should try writing your own fanfiction, that way you'll have total control over your pairings (which I will totally read regardless ;) hehehe)**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Thanks for the tip! Duly noted :) I'm really glad that you and vi were able to sort this out... so proud of you guys 'cause we fangirls/fanboys (not gender specific here) should really look out for each other and support one another. Thanks again!**

 **To Guest:** **Well, I had a lot of time in my hands and like I said, I've been planning to write this story down for probably a few months hahaha XD Anyways, thanks for the review and hope you keep reading! :)**

 **Don't forget to REVIEW/FAVE/FOLLOW! :D**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE**

* * *

It was around nighttime when Red X returned to his flat from the building's roof deck. He was surprised to see that Starfire was still there, rummaging through his fridge, although he was quite sure that he left the door unlocked and that she would leave him after their small argument. He was slightly disappointed; he was in the mood to chase someone today.

He closed the door behind him, and asked aloud, "You're still here?"

She stood up from her bent position, smiling sheepishly. "Yes, I am," she said, "Tell me, is it possible to offer the sincerest apology more than once in a single earthly rotation?"

Red X cocked his head to the side, internalizing every word she said before he got a hold of its meaning. "Yup," he answered with a smile. She smiled back, and exclaimed, "Then I shall give you the second apology for misbehaving earlier. I am sorry."

"Don't sweat it, cutie. You're forgiven," he said. He noticed that this time, she blushed when he called her 'cutie'. "Well, you're not going to find anything edible there except for those... _something_ -berries that you ate earlier," he added, collapsing on the couch, kicking his feet up on the opposite end.

"I am afraid that I have already eaten all of them," she admitted, her gaze dropping to the floor in embarrassment, rubbing her arm nervously. Red X raised an eyebrow. He _bought_ an entire sack of those berries—which was damn expensive—and was supposed to last for a week. He followed her gaze to see that the sack was discarded on the floor of the kitchen, which Starfire was nudging with the tip of her shoe to hide it behind the counter. "Um, we Tamaraneans have nine stomachs."

She was smiling so innocently, a halo would have appeared over her head. _Cute,_ he thought. Red X shrugged. "I'll just get some pizza downstairs," he said, standing up. "Wanna join me?"

"I shall accompany you to—ugh," Starfire began, but her knees buckled, causing her to reel back and lean heavily against the fridge for support. One hand went to the side of her head while the other was desperately trying to hold on to something before she collapsed. "Starfire!" Red X exclaimed, jumping over his couch and catching her in his arms before she fell to the floor. Her body was shaking, and the cold from her skin was seeping through his suit. Her breathing was shallow against the side of his neck, her pulse quick and skipping a few beats. He slung her arm over his shoulders and helped her walk to the couch, where she sat with her head in her hands. Afterwards, he got water from the fridge, poured a glass and gave it to her, which she took gratefully. "What happened? Was it the something-berries?" he asked. He was genuinely afraid that he had poisoned her; _Dammit, I knew that seller was a crook,_ he cursed, gently placing a hand on her back, already thinking about heading out to teach that guy a lesson.

"They are called _zorkaberries_ ," she said with a small smile, "and no. In fact, the ones that you have offered me were quite fresh and were at the peak of their season. I am sorry that I did not save some for you; I would have wanted you to savor them with me."

"Then what happened?" he asked, sitting beside her. Starfire stared silently at the empty glass in her hands. "Tell me, Red X. How is it that you know of zorkaberries? Or that I preferred the mustard as a beverage as opposed to an ordinary condiment for the hotdogs that normal humans ingest?"

Red X was taken aback by her sudden question, his concern for her well-being momentarily forgotten. He clutched at the hem of his suit, making way for the huge lump that he was trying to swallow at the back of his throat. The truth was that he was _always_ watching her—from when she got up in the morning, to when she fought in battles, to when she slept with her head on the opposite side of the bed and her hair hanging off the edge. But he couldn't tell her that—that was just plain _weird_. "Uh," he said, clearing his throat, scratching the back of his head, "wild guess? Just my luck, I suppose."

"And this 'luck' of which you speak," she added, "is also how you managed to arrive at the exact time and exact place where I needed rescuing?" Red X was sweating bullets underneath the suit. Truth be told, he was supposed to steal from the tower because he was rather getting low on supplies to cash out—and partially to infuriate Robin. Not that he needed more money—he just felt like it, especially the annoying Robin part. Besides, the attack of the slimy things provided the perfect diversion.

He nodded.

Starfire looked around, not meeting his eyes. "You still haven't answered me," he said, leaning forward, trying to catch her gaze.

"Why do you prefer to live under these formidable conditions? My K'norfka would never allow me to reside here." She was avoiding his questions, just as he had been avoiding hers. Red X didn't know what her endgame was, but he decided that if he was going to earn her trust, he was going to have to tell her _some_ truth.

"It's more of a temporary living situation, cutie. Besides, I can't stay in one place very long. I've got people on both sides of the morality coin looking for me," he answered.

"The 'morality coin'?"

"Um, good and bad people."

"I see," she said, "To be honest, I wish to understand you, Red X. I am really confused as to who you really are. You claim to be a thief, and yet you have helped us on more than one occasion. And now, you have saved me. If you are capable of doing good, then why must you engage in thievery?"

Red X's mouth suddenly felt as dry as a desert. Starfire waited patiently, and he hoped that she didn't notice how badly his eye was twitching. "Stealing... kept me alive. It's been my way of life ever since, and it's not likely going to change," he said quietly. He was never really good at expressing himself, and Starfire was pushing him to his limits.

"Then you are different from the other villains that we have kicked in the butt," she said. Red X chuckled; Starfire's speech pattern always amused him. "I am not an empath like my good friend Raven, but I sense in you a kind and strong heart. You are merely surviving on unlawful acts punishable by authority, and do not do the evil as a form of personal entertainment. You are a _good_ villain, yes?"

He looked at her, feeling himself drown in those pools of green. Everything about her just drew him in—her heart-shaped face, her plump lips, her orange tan skin, her flushed cheeks. She believed in him, more than he did in himself. _A good villain,_ he thought. He mentally kicked himself, snapping out of it before her eyes could lure him further in, saying, "It doesn't matter. It won't change a thing."

"But—"

"Starfire, I'm _enjoying_ our little talk—really, I do. But can't you see that _I am concerned_ about you? Help me out here; I'm losing my mind wondering whether you're alright or not."

She sighed in defeat. The brightness of her eyes ceased, and were now filled with sadness and fear. He didn't like it. "We Tamaraneans have the ability to concentrate ultraviolet energy and project it against our enemies in times of need. We rely on our capability to express and feel our emotions to aid us in battle as it is the force that drives our powers. They are somehow... linked together in a way that affects us deeply. The last time, I felt the unfamiliar confusion which cost me my ability to fly. But now, without my powers, I feel that I am growing weaker. I do not know what to feel—I feel the angry, the afraid and much more. I fear that my emotional state will not improve, only worsen, until it drains my life force." She hung her head, worry etched on her face. "Which is why I must get my powers back. I must return to my friends immediately and—"

Red X frowned, stopping her mid-sentence by placing a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Listen, cutie, if I knew it was safe for you to go back, then I'd bring you there myself. But you have to see this." He stood up to the TV, reaching for some sort of switch behind it. When he clicked it, the TV split into multiple smaller screens, opening and revealing a keyboard. Red X typed loudly, his fingers drumming on the keys, and from static, one by one the screens showed areas from Jump City. "Is that—?"

"Live images from Jump City surveillance system," he said. He typed once more, and the screens flickered, showing the outskirts of the city. Starfire gasped. Drones were hovering a few feet off the ground—pill-shaped robots of the same color and design as the ship that attacked her. At the center of the robot was a reddish gem that scanned its surroundings, covering it in a red light for a few seconds before beeping and moving on to the next location. "Whatever attacked you is still out there looking for you. And since you don't have powers, it'll take a miracle for you to get past them unseen."

"Then how will I get back home?" she asked, her high-pitched voice adding more to the dramatic effect. She looked at him with sad, puppy dog eyes, ones he knew he wouldn't be able resist. He groaned inwardly, not liking this effect she had on him. "I'll see what I can do," he said, his voice more a mumble than a promise. But it was enough for Starfire—she smiled and yipped excitedly, lacing her long arms around his neck in a tight embrace. Red X's face felt hot under the mask, his heart beating so hard against his sternum he was afraid that it would burst out of his chest and run away. It took a while for the ringing in his ears to die down, and for him to realize that Starfire was blurting out a continuous string of words to him in Tamaranean.

"Uh, no problem, cutie. Just, go ahead, get some rest. You'll be needing it," he said, prying her fingers off of his neck with difficulty, because of her strength and also because he didn't want to. He stood over to the screens and studied the robots frame by frame, while a blushing Starfire turned and headed for his bedroom. "Pleasant _shlorvax_ , Red X," she said cheerfully, brushing her hair behind her ear before shutting the door behind her. When he was sure that she wasn't coming out any time soon, he pulled the mask off of his face, panting and breathing hard as if he just came from a run. He leaned his forehead on his forearm against the cold screen, eyes narrowed, his mouth and lips dry. " _What are you doing?_ " he hissed under his breath, unsure whether he was talking about Starfire or himself. He felt a strong urge to punch the screens, but thought better. Instead, he exhaled slowly, sat back on the couch and reviewed the surveillance footage, looking for patterns in the patrols until his eyes felt dry and droopy, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thanks for the feedback, and without further ado:**

 **To vi:** **Sure thing! Personally I begin with a rough summary (including who the protagonists/heroes and antagonists/villains are) of how my story goes so that I don't get lost or off track as I write it—it doesn't have to be precise or Wikipedia-ish (though that's what I normally do) just as long as you can understand it. Also, I prefer to write down chapters whenever I feel the most inspired because I like how it turns out. Spelling checks can always come later just keep writing. Just don't ever forget that you are writing for yourself, your own enjoyment, and not the readers. It's up to you if you want to post your story online, but making the readers happy only comes in secondary. As long as you're happy and inspired with what you're writing, just keep writing :)**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Right you are! After all, Red X was never able to resist Starfire *wink wink* Thanks a lot and enjoy reading this one!**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **I would but I'd be lying** **—who am I kidding lol I also love Jason Todd (even though I haven't read the comics) just something about him draws me in and I guess this chapter's for you! Hope you keep reading :D**

 **Don't forget to REVIEW/FAVE/FOLLOW! :D (And stick till the very end I wanna explain something before you bash me but don't skip! Read the chapter first hehehe)**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

* * *

Cyborg was about to hit the sack, yawning loudly, when his communicator rang, startling him. It was well past his bedtime, and he was very, very tired. His good eye was dry from staring at computer screens for the entire day, no thanks to Robin, who kept him up to look for Starfire. He left the _grumpy spiky-haired little dude_ in front of the crime scanner to look for her himself, making it evident that he was sleepy.

" _Kid Flash calling Cyborg. Come in, Cyborg,"_ the communicator said.

Cyborg yawned, scratching the back of his metal head. "Go ahead," he said, standing in front of his bedroom door, looking at Kid Flash through his monitor with sleepy eyes.

" _About time someone answered. I've been trying to call Robin for hours now."_

"Robin's a little busy looking for Starfire. You haven't seen her around, have you?"

" _Starfire? No, but I can take a look around the city. Speaking of, I ran into Red X earlier. That's why I was trying to contact Robin."_

"Great," Cyborg grumbled. "What did the jerk steal this time? It better not be any more Xenothium ores; we kinda have our hands full right now."

" _That's just it,"_ Kid Flash said, running a hand through his bright red hair and shrugging. _"He didn't take anything. Jinx and I caught him robbing a bank and he just... fled. He even left behind what he stole."_

Cyborg raised an eyebrow; _that's new,_ he thought. _"Anyways, I gotta go. Kid Flash out."_ And with that, Cyborg's monitor went black. The door behind him slid shut as he lay down on his bed—which was a slab of metal tilted at an angle. He couldn't keep his eyes open anymore; he was just going to have to tell Robin tomorrow.

* * *

Starfire tossed and turned on Red X's bed, her stomach churning loudly. "I should not have eaten all those zorkaberries," she grumbled, finally sitting up and massaging her aching belly. The rickety bed wasn't helping her fall asleep either. The room was dark, save for the slivers of light that seeped through the boarded window. She stood up groggily, clutching her stomach. She quietly opened the door, and found that Red X had left the TV on, which was back to its normal television form. There was nothing on, just static, so Starfire reached for the remote on the armrest to turn it off. Only then did she realize that Red X was fast asleep on the couch—unmasked and half-naked.

She covered her mouth to contain her gasp. He was sprawled on the couch with one leg dangling off the edge, wearing nothing but a pair of gray cotton shorts. His arm was slung over his eyes while the other rested on his bare torso; he was snoring softly, his mouth hanging open slightly. Starfire's eyes widened—he was _beautiful_ , and yet strangely _familiar._ His hair was darker than the midnight sky, long, tousled and unkempt. His face was angular with strong features, like the bridge of his nose and the curve of his jaw. Her eyes trailed down to the planes of his chest and abdomen, which were silhouetted from the TV light, accentuating the taught muscles even more. Starfire's heart was beating too fast; her head was spinning. She stepped back—and the floorboard creaked.

Red X sat bolt upright, breathing fast, running his hand through his messy black hair. That when it hit her—the face shape, the jawline, the hair, the thin lips. " _R-Robin?_ " Starfire whispered. Only then was he aware that he was only wearing shorts; his mask, his suit and his belt were scattered on the floor beside him.

Starfire was rooted in place, her jaw dropping to the floor. No wonder he looked so familiar to her; Red X looked _exactly_ like Robin—from the crease between his brows to his strong jawline. Red X turned his back to her, hanging his head in dismay and massaging the back of his neck. "I am _not_ Robin," he said darkly, bending to pick up his mask from the ground and standing up.

"But you look just like him—"

Starfire found herself pinned against the wall, her face inches from Red X's, their bodies pressed tightly together. He grabbed her by the arms with barely controlled anger, but it didn't hurt her—it only made her pulse quicken and heat rush up to her face. "Take a good long look, _cutie_ ," he whispered, his breath hot on her face, drawling the o-sounds seductively, "and tell me what you see."

 _He even sounds like Robin,_ she thought, although his voice sounded naughtier and more light-hearted and mysterious at the same time. He pulled away slightly, enough for her to see his face. He was taller than her by a few inches, and at first glance he really did look like Robin; she squinted, looking harder. Red X seemed older, his face slimmer and more mature. His hair was a little longer and softer and not spikey like Robin's, his bangs falling just past his eyes—oh, his _eyes._ Starfire had only ever seen Robin's eyes once—they were dark blue and serious, but Red X's were a lighter and more mischievous tone of blue that seemed to change color. Nonetheless, they looked like the most brilliant of sapphires, which sparkled in the dark. Starfire raised her hand to his cheek; he tensed. His face felt hot against her palm, almost as if he had a fever. "You are..." she breathed, "you are _the handsome_."

He inhaled sharply, almost not believing the words coming out of her mouth. He knew that he was pretty to look at; girls ogle at him whenever he went out without the suit. He didn't mind that, though. Her cheeks turned pink, her bright green eyes boring into his, which looked pale gray in the low light. Her gaze flitted down to his lips and back up to his face. His eyes were half-lidded, and he moved closer, slowly closing the distance between them. His hands moved up to cup her face, his fingertips brushing her skin like feathers, raising goose-bumps on her arms. She could feel his heart beat in unison with hers as her other hand rested on his chest. Her fingers laced through the hair at the base of his neck, subtly pulling him closer. She had never felt this kind of dangerous attraction before, not even with Robin. Something about Red X made her want _it_ , and the voice at the back of her mind was telling her that it wasn't a good sign.

She tilted her head to the side just as the tips of theirs noses brushed. _They were about to kiss_ , she thought, her heart racing in ecstasy, their upper lips already touching—then Red X sighed, bowing his head, his bangs tickling her shoulder. "What are you doing to me?" he breathed huskily, almost pained. Starfire's fantasy shattered when he pulled away, sitting back on the couch with his head in his hands. Her legs felt like mush, but she somehow made it to the sofa, sitting beside him. Her heart still raced, but her breaths were more even now, and her stomach was no longer the body part that ached.

"I do not wish to intrude, but how is it that you—um—bear a likeness to Robin?" she asked. Her voice sounded an octave higher than usual, and she tried to clear her throat to normalize it. He didn't look at her—instead he ran his fingers through his hair over and over. Finally, he said, quietly, his voice barely a whisper, "I didn't use to."

"Are you not his older brother? Is this why you address him as the 'kid'?"

Red X chuckled, his thin lips curling up into a small smile. "Cutie, we're not related—at least, as far as I know. And I don't call him 'kid' because I'm older. I thought that'd be obvious—I call him that because that's his _name_."

"I do not understand what you mean, Red X."

He sighed. "Never mind. Remember your bad guy, Slade? Well, he _created_ me.

"I was a normal guy before, but then Slade abducted me, tortured me, stripped me of my memories and my identity. He was droning on and on about a 'failed apprentice', and how he wanted to make someone better. That 'apprentice', I found out, was Robin.

"Robin didn't know that while he was working for him, Slade took samples of his DNA through his suit. He infused some of Robin's DNA with mine, and when the _damage_ was done, he trained me. He told me that if I did well, he'd tell me who I was before... before the experiments. So I let him teach me, and he taught me everything I knew. I was almost ready, but then he caught sight of another, more worthy apprentice—a young girl who can move the earth."

"Terra," Starfire whispered. Red X nodded. "Slade decided to dispose of me. He said that he didn't need me anymore. But I escaped, and I plotted my revenge against him. I guess I have Terra to thank for putting him down—saved me the trouble of doing so myself.

"I didn't have a clue who I was, where I was, or if I had a family I could run to—heck, I didn't even remember what I _looked_ like before. Everywhere I looked, I saw someone else's reflection—Robin's reflection, and not my own. So I decided had to make a new identity for myself. I didn't want anyone to look at me and see only _him._ Sure, I was alone, but I had to survive. So I stole what I could, sold it and earned enough money to get me through the day. As the days passed, I still couldn't remember much, except that my name was Jason Todd, and that I lived here, in Gotham. I've been living life on the run ever since."

Starfire was silent. "That is why you were able to get past our security system when you stole the Red X suit," she said, "You and Robin share the same DNA, which is why the system did not detect you as a threat."

Red X nodded. "I stole it so that I could use it on Slade. I wanted to _end_ him so badly for doing this to me. But Terra just had to keep all the fun to herself." He chuckled at his own dark joke, placing a hand on his forehead, brushing his bangs off his face. A few minutes of silence passed, and he was slightly worried about how Starfire took his rather insensitive joke. He knew she and Terra shared a bond, and that she sacrificed herself to destroy Slade. "You know, Beast Boy will be delighted to know that he was correct about your identity," Starfire said finally, chuckling to herself.

"They can never know, _especially_ Robin."

"But wh—?"

" _Starfire_ ," he said, finally looking at her, his brilliant blue eyes serious and pleading. The way he said her name with his normal voice sent chills running down her spine. "I need you to promise me that you won't tell the other Titans about my true identity, especially Robin." Starfire looked at him questioningly. He just smiled—the type of smile that melted Starfire's heart. "Let's just say that I remembered Robin _before_ he was Robin, and I'm not sure how he would take it if he knew who I really was, or what I was turned into."

Starfire was hesitant, but she understood where he was coming from. "You have my word," she said, raising her hand with her pinky extended. Red X raised an eyebrow at her. She blushed. "I believe that this is the pinky promise, which humans consider a fundamental foundation of trust. Once you consent, you cannot ever break a promise."

He laughed, not bothering to tell her that only children considered pinky promises as 'fundamental foundations' of trust. He shook his head, rolling his eyes, but raised his pinky anyways and intertwined it with hers. They both smiled at one another, reaching a deeper level of understanding, and for the first time in a long time, Red X felt a bit of hope blossom in his chest.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sooo... time to explain why I chose this identity for Red X—if you've been faithful and have read the entire chapter before reaching this point, you know what I mean. I've always sort of debated between my top two choices for Red Xs past life ever since coming up with this story, which were either Red X was Jason Todd or he was Robin's clone created by Slade. I really couldn't choose, especially after reading so many talks, posts, forums, theories and comments on Red X's true identity... so I tried to combine the two theories and I hope it turned out alright because I'm pretty satisfied with how Red X's identity turned out in my little universe :) As for Red X calling Robin 'kid', you're just gonna have to stick around to find out ;)  
**

 **Anyways, leave a REVIEW and tell me what you think (constructive criticism welcome I promise). Faves/follows greatly appreciated and HAPPY HOLIDAYS PEOPLE! :D**


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Note: Hi there! Hope you're still with me after the last chapter :D How were your holidays? Good? Anyways:**

 **To vi:** **Any time! Just don't forget to notify me first thing when you're ready to share your story ;)**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **Always welcome! Looking back on my research about Jason Todd, I really felt sorry for this guy 'cause he just wants to be accepted—that's why Starfire's here *wink wink* HAHAHA thanks for reading and reviewing!**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Hahahaha thanks! Really appreciate it :D though I do hope that it's the latter though :)**

 **To Welovenails:** **Thank you so much! Glad you like it and thanks for reading! :D**

 **Hope you like this one and as always don't forget to REVIEW/FAVE/FOLLOW! All is welcome and very much appreciated :) Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

Starfire was fast asleep on the couch with her head on Red X's lap. She said that she found it difficult to sleep, so they spent the rest of the night watching movies—which were all pirated, but he didn't tell her that—until her eyes closed. They also engaged in more conversations, most of which he couldn't remember as he was too busy looking at her to register her words. He was idly playing with her soft red hair, combing through it with his fingers and occasionally brushing it behind her ear when it covered her face. His mind went back to when they almost kissed mere hours ago, and wondered whether his feelings for her were real or if they only mirrored _Robin's_ feelings for her. _Just like him, Jason,_ Slade's voice whispered in his ear. He flinched, closing his eyes tightly. _You're going to become just like him._

He thought back to his conversation with Starfire instead, desperately trying to shut down the memories that played in his mind. "Why do you have to do the bad deeds, then?" Starfire had asked. "Most people achieve the fresh new start for better purposes, do they not?"

"Cutie," he had replied, "just because I look like Robin, doesn't mean I have to act like him. I don't want to have others expecting good from me just because we look alike—'cause you have to admit, I'm much better company, with an even _better_ facial structure."

She had laughed exaggeratedly, failing to contain the blush that spread across her cheeks when he waggled her eyebrows at her—the first time he did without the mask on. God, he _loved_ it when he made her blush like that. The smile faded from his lips after reminiscing that moment, though. He carefully lifted her head and stood up, picking up his suit and hanging it on the coat rack by the door. Starfire stirred a little when the floorboard creaked; he waited for her to silently purr like a kitten again before he took another step. He contemplated whether he should get the neighbor's mattress or not, as he didn't want Starfire to sleep on the couch nor did he want her to sleep on his thin mattress. "Chivalry," he muttered, " _sucks._ "

He walked back to her, carefully avoiding all of the creaky floorboards. _I'm not the good guy, cutie,_ he thought as he slid his arms under her, carrying her with a grunt. _I hope you understand that._ But then again, there he was, carrying her to his bed and sleeping beside her, with one arm under her head as a pillow and the other draped over her waist to keep her warm.

* * *

"These things are just all over the place," Cyborg complained, hauling the wreckage into the tower's garage with Robin and Beast Boy in tow.

"What is it?" Beast Boy asked. Cyborg grunted, tossing the silver drone on the ground. The drone had made its way from the outskirts of town and into the heart of the city, scaring the locals and causing a ruckus. It was early morning when they got there and stopped it—good thing not much people were out and about.

Robin pulled his staff out of the drone's side with a grunt. He had tried his best not to destroy the space drone, but he had found it difficult to hold back his rage. Cyborg stood in front of the robot, scanning it with peak precision. "Yup, definitely not from around here," he said. "I'll cross reference it with other villains' equipment. Might take a while, considering how many we've already encountered."

"Whatever this thing was," Robin said through gritted teeth, "One thing's for sure: it was sent out to look for Starfire."

"And I'm sure we'll find her first," Raven said, putting a hand on Robin's shoulder. She appeared so suddenly and quietly behind them that Beast Boy nearly jumped into Cyborg's arms.

"I hope so," Robin said, sighing inwardly, though Raven's gesture calmed his nerves a little bit.

"Can someone _please_ keep BB away from me while I work?" Cyborg exclaimed.

"C'mon Cy, I can help! Look, you take this whats-it-called and I'll use this thingamajig and—"

The rest of his sentence was cut off when he was swallowed by Raven's cape, and the pair disappeared into the portal on the ceiling. Robin was about to head for the crime scanner when Cyborg caught his shoulder. "I almost forgot; Kid Flash called in an incident report last night," he said.

Robin's head perked up. "Is it Starfire? Is she hurt? Is she okay? Did he find _anything?_ "

"Hold your horses, Robin. It wasn't abut Star."

"Then what is it?" Robin's heart faltered, his eyes narrowing.

"Red X is back, and..." Cyborg handed him something from the table in the garage. It looked like one of his grappling cables, except that the cord cut and the hook was X-shaped. "Found it stuck to a beam after BB and I cleaned the front of the tower. Meaning, he was here when Starfire disappeared."

* * *

Starfire groaned, turning to the side and stretching her arms. She opened one eye slightly; how did she end up in the bedroom? _Perhaps I am still lost in my shlorvax,_ she thought, pressing her cheek against the pillow. Her pillow was squishier than normal—it had a _pulse_.

Her eyes snapped open, a small "eep!" escaping her lips. Red X was still asleep beside her, lying on his back with one hand on his chest and the other under Starfire's head. She let out a sigh of relief, sitting up. Red X stirred, scratching his chest and repositioning his head on the hard pillow. He was still shirtless, and in the morning light from outside, she saw that thin white scars crisscrossed all over his pale skin, so white it was almost unnoticeable. She felt sad, remembering what he told her about Slade's experiments on him, how he had tortured him to the point where he openly welcomed death. Her stomach grumbled; the clock on the wall read ten thirty in the morning. She stood up quietly, careful not to wake him up, and made her way to the kitchen.

* * *

Red X awoke with a slightly disgruntled jolt when he heard something metal falling to the floor, the joints in the arm he placed under Starfire's head stiff. He couldn't move his hand, and his fingertips were beyond numb. He sat up slowly, rotating his shoulder back and forth to get the blood running back into his limb. Then he stood up, grabbed a plain white shirt from the duffel bag at the foot of the bed and walked outside. The second he opened the door, an unfamiliar smell filled his nostrils, which reminded him of burning rubber and melting garbage. He cringed.

"Glorious morning, Jason," Starfire said cheerily, her voice coming from the kitchen. Either Red X was still dreaming, or she just called him by his real name. "Shall I interest you into having the breakfast with me?"

"Just call me X, cutie," he said, yawning and ruffling his hair. He inhaled and exhaled through his mouth, and was conscious not to let her notice. "How come I cannot call you by your earth name?" she asked. "You are not wearing your mask, therefore the proper way to address you would be 'Jason', and not the 'Red X'."

"Jason Todd _died_ when Slade created me," he snapped. Starfire momentarily stopped stirring what she had cooking in the pan, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, taken aback by his morning grumpiness. He shook his head and asked, more politely this time, "What's cooking?" He pulled out one of the few stools and sat on it, resting his elbows on the counter and fiddling with his fingers, anxious of her reaction. _Idiot,_ he thought, mentally slapping himself in the forehead.

"Well, _X,_ we are going to have the stewed grudthmec with melted sputflinks," she announced proudly. The name of the dish made bile rise to the back of his throat, which he fought to swallow back. She poured him a bowl, placing it in front of him and handing him a glass of water. The thing looked like it was still _alive_ —it was blobbing slimy purple goop with something that looked like cockroaches in them. He wasn't even going to ask her where she got the ingredients from. After pouring herself a bowl, she sat across from him and gestured eagerly for him to start eating. He sighed, and holding his breath, he ingested a spoonful of the goop.

He never wanted to die so much in his entire life.

He drank all of his water in one big gulp, which helped him swallow but not remove the awful aftertaste it left in his mouth. "It is good, yes?" Starfire asked, helping herself to another serving. Tamaranean appetite truly was exotic, he thought.

He didn't want to tell her that it tasted like rotten eggs and moldy bread with mucus in them; it would hurt her feelings. She waited eagerly for his reply, so instead of answering, he faked a sneeze. "G'luthnog," she said.

"Uh, cutie, I think I'm— _ACHOO_ ("G'luthnog")—allergic to that— _ACHOO_ ("G'luthnog")—!" he said, hopeful that his acting was convincing enough. Starfire cocked her head to the side as he fake sneezed once more ("G'luthnog"); she just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Perhaps you do not have the stomach for the sputflinks. If so, then can I have—?"

"Sure, take it," he said, pushing his bowl to her, "Too bad I'm allergic to sputflinks. But, at least they won't go to waste. Those nine stomachs aren't gonna feed themselves!" He laughed nervously, but it was enough to make Starfire chuckle, the sound of her voice like wind chimes. "Then what will you ingest for the sustenance?" she asked in between bites. Just watching her eat that stuff made him want to hurl. He put a hand to his mouth, turning away and cringing inwardly. He walked back to the bedroom to put on his red hoodie and a pair of jeans. Afterwards, he went to the door, shoving his suit in the duffel bag that he brought with him. _Needs a recharge,_ he noted, checking the Xenothium tubes at the back of his utility belt, most of which were dimly glowing. "I'll just be out for a while to get donuts and coffee, plus I also have to be somewhere. Be back later," he said. He couldn't help but notice her frown a little as he turned to leave. "I'll buy you more mustard while I'm out."

"In the value size, please," Starfire said cheerily, swallowing her last spoonful of goop.

"Anything for you, cutie." Red X smirked and winked at her, which made her face turn redder than it already was. He put his hood up before he left, and shut the door closed.

* * *

Starfire was vigorously rubbing her hands together, her fingertips numb and cold as ice. She had been looking for any source of warmth in Red X's apartment, but gave up when her knees began to buckle. She laid down on the sofa curled up tightly, unsure of what to do, her heart fluttering madly inside her chest. "W-what i-is t-t-t-t-taking h-h-him s-s-s-so l-long?" she stammered. She was starting to get worried that her life force was draining quicker, despite being only a few days since her power was taken from her. She should have told Red X that her power—the ultraviolet energy—was the only thing keeping her alive, that it did not only give her powers, but also the warmth that kept her from freezing over.

She raised her head when a loud noise rang from outside, the tremors that rocked her body stopping momentarily. She sat up slowly, looking around. Dust fell through the cracks from the ceiling as another boom thundered. She stood up and tried to steel herself despite her wobbly legs, walking around in a circle, trying to discern where the noise came from. The floorboard beneath her feet creaked—and the bedroom exploded in a haze of dust and bright red light, throwing Starfire through the front door. She sat up, her back aching from the fall, brushing the splinters off of her skirt. When the dust cleared, she looked up, the color draining from her face.

The entire bedroom was gone. A hole had been blasted through the apartment, big enough that it spanned the entire wall. Outside, three drones hovered; the one in front scanned the room, bathing it in red light, before pausing on Starfire's figure. The drones had found her—and she was defenseless.


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Note: Hey there, reader! Not gonna make this long so just sit back, relax and enjoy this chapter :) As always, don't forget to REVIEW 'cause I love reading what your thoughts are about the chapter and replying to your reviews :D FAVES/FOLLOWS are also greatly appreciated hehehe thanks guys! :D**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Glad you liked it hahahaha XD Thanks for the review!**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **Hmm, I actually never thought of that _that_ deeply... to be honest I didn't plan for Jason to be this complicated, but I guess that kinda comes with the identity I've chosen for him. Hopefully I'll be able to wrap this idea up nicely** **—and as usual, you'll just have to read on to find out who saves her ;) (btw I like your profile pic even though it's giving me the feels huhuhu)**

 **To vi:** **Anytime! Thanks for the review :)**

 **To Levi16:** **Thank you for the review! Glad you liked it and hope you keep reading :D  
**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX**

* * *

Starfire dodged the green laser that the drone emitted, lunging to the side, accidentally rolling down the stairs as she did so. She hit her head at one point, her vision clouded with stars. The drones followed her inside, destroying everything in their path; she had no time to worry about whether the other tenants got hurt. The drones continued to fire, and it took her a while to realize that those were _her starbolts_ that they were firing.

She got over her shock quickly, standing up and running as fast as she could down the narrow hallway, kicking a door open to her right. She braced herself against the doorway, her head spinning. The flat was empty, save for a few rats, which all scurried back into the holes in the wall. Starfire ran across the flat, through the opposite door and found herself in a similar bed space as Red X's. She went to the window, trying to force it open, but the sliding compartment was so rusted that it was jammed shut. She heard an explosion behind her; the drones were getting closer. She kicked the window glass, shattering it and allowing her to climb through and onto the fire escape, not minding the shards that grazed her skin in the process.

She was still four stories from the busy street down below. She didn't dare to look behind her, bounding down the steps two at a time despite her dazed state, the fire escape wobbling and creaking under her weight. A second explosion sounded, this time directly above her. "Ahh!" she cried, covering her head with her arms as bricks and debris rained down on her. She still had another two stories to go, but the explosion caused the rest of the fire escape to become critically unstable. She swallowed, and taking a few steps back, jumped for the platform, the parts of the stairs unhinging from the wall as she landed. She jumped again just before the fire escape collapsed, but this time a metallic arm wrapped around her torso, plucking her out of the air.

"Unhand me, you zorkmorking clorbag!" she yelled, trying to pry the arm open. The adrenaline coursing through her veins was enough to earn her _some_ bit of her strength; she broke the arm completely, sending her falling to the ground. She landed, tucked and rolled onto the street amidst the crowd of people rushing to safety. She looked up in time for another drone to swing at her, knocking the wind out of her as she crashed into the window of a nearby bookstore. She landed on her side, her breathing heavy and labored. She didn't know how long she could keep this up, but she did know that she had to get out of here—and fast.

* * *

Red X was on his way out of the supermarket, whistling as he swung the plastic bags in his hands. He had enough cash to pay for groceries so that he and Starfire would have _real_ food to eat, plus two value sized mustard bottles, thanks to his racket earlier. He was just about to catch the bus when he saw people running about, screaming and scrambling for shelter in a panic. He looked up and saw, to his horror, smoke billowing from his apartment building.

" _Starfire,"_ he breathed. He ran, dropping the items that he paid for, down the busy street, narrowly avoiding the cars that sped past and jumping over a few that didn't swerve out of his way. He turned at a nearby alleyway, searching for a passage to the sewers, pushing a few dumpsters out of the way in his haste. When he found it, he removed the manhole cover with his bare hands and jumped down the sewage drain, disregarding the dirty water that splashed onto his jeans as he ran.

* * *

"Oomf!"

The drones tossed Starfire around like a toy. She fell for the fifth time on the street, her body rolling several times before stopping in the middle. Her limbs felt like limp noodles, and sweat trickled down the side of her face. Her bangs stuck to her forehead, streaks of dirt and asphalt all over her body. She tried to get up, but her arms gave out. Black spots were dancing in and out of her vision, her pulse throbbing madly in her temples. Her head ached as if it were being squeezed in a vice. The sound of her own breathing filled her ears, which was quick and shallow, accompanied by faint ringing. She saw the drones close in on her, weakly lifting her head at one of them. The gem at the center of the probe glowed bright green—she closed her eyes.

Something whizzed in the air above her. She heard electric sparks, and something heavy and metal fall to the ground. She opened her eyes slightly, and smiled in relief. Red X stood before her protectively, clad in his dark suit and villain getup, his cape catching the wind—for or a brief moment, he looked _heroic_. He turned and held her close, shielding her with his body just in time as the drone exploded behind them. "You... came for me..." she whispered as the smoke cleared.

"I never should have left," he said, his forehead creasing apologetically.

He carried her to the sidewalk quickly and safely, leaning her against a streetlight and brushing her hair away from her face. He then disappeared, teleporting in front of the nearest drone, slicing it open with his rotating X-blades. The drone was firing starbolts at Red X, but it missed him entirely. It sparked and buckled as Red X pulled out its wiring vigorously, jumping off of it before it exploded as well. He flipped mid-air, throwing his X-shurikens at the last drone, which were buried deep into its surface. But the drone pursued him still, using its metallic arm to capture him and slam him against a wall. It swung him around, his lithe body colliding with concrete, bricks and asphalt, making Starfire flinch just watching him. The drone pinned him tightly against the side of a building, but Red X somehow managed to free his arms through the struggle. He grabbed hold of the metallic arm with both of his hands and in an instant, a powerful wave of electricity engulfed the drone, short-circuiting it. It fell to the ground, twitching and malfunctioning, while Red X landed on it like a cat. "They've found you," he said, slinging her arm over his shoulders and wrapping an arm around her waist, hoisting her up to her feet. "It's not safe for you here anymore."

"Perhaps it is time for me to go back to my friends?" she suggested. Her eyes were glazed over, and she was having trouble comprehending her surroundings. Her face contorted with pain as she walked, until her feet gave out, and she was leaning heavily against his body for support. _She's ice cold,_ he noticed. "I got you, cutie," he said, sweeping her legs out from under her, carrying her bridal style.

Red X set her down on another alley way and opened yet another manhole, setting aside its cover and ushering Starfire inside. He wrapped some wire he normally used for his X-hooks around her waist to set her down through the hole as she was too weak to move before climbing down himself. He landed gracefully on his feet, not even making any noise. Drips echoed all around the murky tunnel, as did the occasional squeaking of mice.

They were far underneath the city, the rumble from the cars above getting fainter and fainter as they walked. Red X didn't seem to feel tired from carrying her despite walking for almost half an hour at that point. They walked on for several minutes more before reaching a break in the tunnel, which led to an unfinished one to their right. There, Red X finally set her down on a wooden crate. He turned on a single fluorescent light bulb, which flickered and dimmed at various moments. He turned away from her, rummaging for something in the other crates. Starfire leaned her head against the wall. Red X's motorcycle was parked in front of her, and various X-shaped weapons hung on the mossy brick wall, perfectly polished and gleaming red. "Here," he said, handing her a bottle of water and a towel to clean herself up with. "I would have brought you some mustard, but I kind of dropped it when I came to the rescue. Sorry."

"Please, do not apologize," she said, "I am most thankful that you have saved my life. It was most daring and brave of you."

"Well, at least we gained a little something today—whoever took your powers harnessed its energy and it looks to me that they need more; that's why they're still after you."

"But I have no power left," she said, wiping her arm and removing the dirt on them, wincing slightly when it came away red.

"Give me your arm. You're bleeding."

Indeed, there was a gash on her arm, but it wasn't that deep. Red X's mask lay discarded on the crate beside her, and his eyes shone a brilliant sea green under the dim light. She extended her arm to him, which he held tenderly as he cleaned the wound. "I am… damaged?" she asked, watching him.

"Not really, cutie. It's just a scratch," he said reassuringly, looking up at her with those bright eyes that rivaled her own, his long hair falling to his face. He finished off by wrapping clean gauze over her wound. "There," he said, giving the wound a quick peck, smiling his signature naughty grin, "Feel better?"

She blushed and chuckled softly. They haven't been this close since last night. Red X felt the strange fluttering sensation he had before as he drowned in Starfire's eyes. He reached to brush her hair behind her ear, and realized that she was shivering. Without hesitation, he took off his cape and wrapped it around her. She looked so tired and exhausted; she smiled weakly and gave him a small nod.

"I guess I'm taking you back home. It's a little too soon for my taste, I was planning to take you out on a date, maybe show you the beach," he chuckled, turning away and reloading his weapons, "Anyways, there'd probably be less patrols back at Jump City since they're already here. I can get you in, and if we're lucky, we'll probably make it in one piece to Titans Tower."

"X," she said. She tried to stand, but Red X stopped her, placing restraining hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes. "I am terrified. I am getting weaker and weaker every second. What if I do not make it?" He was silent. The tears threatened to spill and cascade down her cheek, and she was nearly chewing her bottom lip off to prevent that. His hand reached up to cup her cheek without his permission. "Listen; you're going to get through this, okay cutie? You're the strongest person I know. You'll get your powers back, I promise."

She couldn't help it. He wiped the few pesky tears that escaped, smiling his most sincere smile to comfort her. Starfire laced her arms around his neck, burying her face under his chin as she sobbed into his shirt. He hugged her back tightly, rubbing her back in the most comforting way possible, pressing his lips on the top of her head as he brushed her hair with his fingers. He pulled back a little and ever so slowly, he gently kissed her on the forehead, waiting another second before pulling away, staring intently in her eyes, a determined smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Come on. Let's get you home. We have some _serious_ butt-kicking to do."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author's Note: Hello guys! Sorry to keep you waiting almost an entire week (or more than a week for that matter) for another update... I was had other things to do and papers to finish and such** **—yes people, I'm still in school so please forgive me! Anyways, enjoy this one and please do bear with me 'cause I tried to make this as descriptive as possible... don't forget to leave a REVIEW down below or FAVE/FOLLOW my story :D**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **Thanks, though I'm not the one in the pic... or am I? *wink wink* Anyways, I'm glad you liked the previous chapter and thanks for the support! I really do appreciate your thoughts and again thank you :D**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Hahahaha thank you! I had fun writing the cheesy bits 'cause I've always envisioned Red X to be this gentlemanly gangster around Starfire... I think it's sweet hehehe *fangirl hearts in my eyes***

 **To Tir3dForever:** **Guess you'll have to read on to find out ;) thanks for the review and hope you keep reading! :)**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

The purr of the X-cycle's engine echoed throughout the tunnel as they exited the sewer system of Gotham, way outside the city's perimeter. Red X had the entire city plan memorized, from the roads down to the drainage system and even the power grid. The tunnel led them out under a bridge, just beside the "Come and Visit Again!" sign. Starfire was sitting across his lap, wrapped tightly in his cape with her back resting on his arm and her head nestled against the curve of his neck. She had gotten a bit paler than normal, her long, dark lashes fluttering softly. Steel gray clouds blocked the sun above them; he hoped it wouldn't rain, for Starfire's sake. He gripped the clutch hard, revving up the engine, the tires squealing loudly against the asphalt as he merged into the upcoming traffic, earning him multiple glares and a couple of loud honking from other drivers.

"Just hang in there, cutie," he said loudly, almost yelling over the sound of the wind. His digital voice suddenly sounded weird to his own ears; he shrugged it off. "We'll be there in no time!"

"Please, exercise great caution while driving! I do not have the proper headgear for this vehicular transportation!" she yelled back. He laughed out loud. He swerved in and out of the lanes, speeding down the highway as thunder rolled overhead.

* * *

Robin was pinching the bridge of his nose, his elbows leaning on the keypad of the crime scanner, the sound of Beast Boy's video game drilling a hole into his skull. He didn't understand how Raven could _stand_ it; she was just casually reading a book beside the green metahuman as he played at the edge of his seat, wringing the controller about. To be honest, he didn't understand how his team could be just chilling when one of them was out there missing. Robin rolled his eyes, his forehead scrunched up in concentration. In front of him, the screens showed footage from the city's CCTV cameras, which were placed at every corner of every street, including the farthest outposts. It was almost past sunset; the sky outside transitioned to bright red as the last glimmer of day faded, which reminded Robin of Starfire's hair on a sunny day when the light hits it just right. He looked away, focusing his attention back on the screens. The drones patrolling the city were getting less and less, he noticed; he took it as both a good and bad sign. Good because they weren't terrorizing the city anymore, and bad because it either meant that they've already found Starfire, or they've pulled out because she wasn't in the city—which was why he contacted Titans East and told them to be on alert in case Starfire showed up. But still, they came up empty whenever he asked for a report.

Cyborg walked through the doors, which shuddered close behind him. "Robin," he began, "The cross-reference scan I did on the drone? Nothing turned up."

"What?" Robin said in disbelief. "What do you mean nothing turned up? There has to be something! What about Red X?"

"I'm telling you; there's nothing," Cyborg said. A nerve was twitching in Robin's temple. "So I decided to cross-reference the molecular structure and isotopic signature of the drone with other extraterrestrials we've met, good and bad. We got a match—"

The alarms blared, cutting Cyborg off, the entire room blinking red. "Hey! I was about to beat Cy's high score!" Beast Boy cried, slamming the controller on the floor and slouching back on the couch in defeat as their TV screen switched from the game to a map of the city. "That'll have to wait," Robin said, jumping out of his seat and leaping over the sofa, narrowly missing Raven's head. There were two blinking dots entering the vicinity of the city at high speed, one red and one green.

"It's Starfire!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

Robin's jaw clenched, his left eye twitching. "And Red X," he hissed through gritted teeth, his tone venomous.

"Here we go again," Raven muttered, shutting her book audibly and placing it on the sofa, covering her face with her hood.

"It's alright to get jealous, Robin," Cyborg remarked, a snarky grin pulling at the corners of his mouth, "let's just go and get your girlfriend back."

"Titans, g—I'M NOT JEALOUS AND SHE'S _NOT_ MY GIRLFRIEND!"

* * *

Starfire could barely open her eyes as the familiar lights of Jump City came into view. She could see their tower, a glorious beacon in the horizon that promised a safer tomorrow. _Home,_ she thought dreamily. The wind was ice-cold on her face, causing her to shudder involuntarily and snuggle closer to Red X. He didn't seem to mind. She could feel his pulse against her forehead, and the motion of his Adam's apple as he swallowed. The engine rumbled under her, a steady beat that synced with his heart. Her fingertips were numb, balled up tightly in the fabric of his cape. The night air was brisk, the cold seeping deep within her bones. She shivered.

She could feel her life force fading; she sensed that Red X felt that, too. "Keep your eyes open, cutie," he yelled, releasing the clutch, the engine roaring loudly. She noticed that there was a pinch of worry in his voice despite its lightheartedness. He paid no mind to the traffic rules, running multiple red lights across town. Starfire's heart skipped beats every time he crossed an intersection, the lights a blur as they sped past. "You're missing out on the thrill!"

"P-please b-be c-cautious," she stuttered, "I do not wish to partake in the thrill—eep!" He swerved suddenly, his husky digital laugh ringing in her ears. She could almost hear Jason's voice past the auto tune, and how full and deep and mysterious it was; she wondered whether or not she was beginning to suffer from delusions.

She concluded that she _was_ losing her mind when familiar headlights threatened to ram straight into them.

* * *

Red X hit the brake, the tires of his X-cycle smoking. He banked to the left with a grunt, narrowly avoiding the red cycle that flew past, his motorcycle dangerously wobbly. Starfire was mortified, her arms laced around his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. He was going to lose control any second; he had to get her to safety and fast. He eyed the store canopy of a flower shop up ahead, and couldn't help but smirk. "Hey, cutie?" he asked, "Do you trust me?"

Her eyes widened. "You are asking me this _now_?" Starfire shrieked, her high-pitched _eeps_ fueling his mischievous agenda. He grinned, almost maniacally, even though she couldn't see it. The X-cycle lurched to the right, its momentum launching Starfire off the seat and onto the store canopy. "Eep!" she yelped as she landed; the canopy detached on one side under her weight, causing her to slide and roll onto the sidewalk. The motorcycle finally gave out and fell to its side, skidding down the road with Red X perched gracefully on it, sparks flying behind him as metal scraped against the asphalt. Three Titans were waiting for him—the tin man, the emo and the green monkey.

Red X's muscles tensed; he leaped into the air, back-flipping and kicking the X-cycle further down the road. Raven stopped the vehicle in front of them before it collided with her friends like a bowling ball, but was unable to counter as Red X threw explosive X-shurikens at the motorcycle mid-flip. The three fell back with a thud as he landed—his X-cycle went up in flames before him, and he stared into the fire with a heavy heart. _Guess I'll have to build another one,_ he thought with a sigh. Opposite the fiery mess, the Titans began to stir. "Long time no see, kids," he jeered, "I'd love to beat you all up again, but that's not what I'm here for."

"Are you sure it's _us_ who's gonna get beat up? For real?" Beast Boy started.

"Give me a break," Red X said in mock exasperation. "For once, I'm just here to return what someone else had stolen."

"It doesn't count as a good deed when you return someone _you_ kidnapped in the first place!" Raven bellowed, her eyes turning bright white as black energy enveloped her hands. Red X's eyes narrowed, bracing himself. The three Titans lunged. The familiar rush coursed through his veins, exciting him, and he engaged gladly.

* * *

Robin brought his R-cycle about just as an explosion sounded from the other end of the road. He let go of the clutch, speeding towards his team when a mop of red hair caught his eye. He slammed on the brakes; tossing his helmet aside, he knelt beside Starfire, who was barely moving on the ground near a collapsed canopy. She was tangled in a dark black material. He took it off, casting it away as he gingerly picked her up, one hand caressing her cheek and the other shaking her shoulders lightly. "Starfire, are you okay? Starfire! Can you hear me? Say something!" he said, his voice breaking in the end. Her eyelids opened slightly, her head turning away from him. He followed her gaze, and his teeth gnashed together. He looked back at Starfire, whose eyes were closed once again.

"I'll make him pay, Star. I swear it."

* * *

Beast Boy came charging at Red X in his wolf form, barking and growling and baring his long canines. Red X procured an X-arang, enthusiastically waving it in front of Beast Boy's face while he whistled loudly. Beast Boy's expression shifted from apex predator to domestic house pet, his tail wagging and his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Red X threw the X-arang, and Beast Boy caught it in the air ecstatically. Electricity racked his entire body as soon as his teeth clamped on the X-arang, and he fell disoriented on the floor in his normal form. "Told you," Red X quipped, "you're barking up the wrong tree here."

He teleported just as Cyborg's cannon blasted the very spot he was standing on a second ago. He reappeared above his head, throwing multiple X-shaped devices at the circuit panel on his back. Cyborg tried to reach for his circuits, trying to pick at the devices that caused sparks to fly behind him. He could feel himself glitching internally—he could hear wires pop and fizz within his systems. He was caught off guard when Red X landed in front of him, who punched him squarely on the jaw. His joints popped and released flurries of sparks as he crashed to the opposite wall. "Not again!" he said, uncontrollably break-dancing on the sidewalk.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!"

The ground below Red X's feet shifted. He steeled himself as slabs of concrete rose into the air, including the one he was standing on, like boulders held up by pipes that bumped and collided into each other. He jumped from one slab to another before they crashed, weaving in and out of the pipes that tried to grab him, easily making his way down to Raven. He jumped, throwing an adhesive X-restraint in her direction. She blocked it with her powers, also blocking him as he slammed his foot down. She tried her best to deflect his blows with her powers, but she was unable to keep up with his speed and agility. He teleported in the air behind her, throwing more of his X-shurikens at her rapidly. She covered herself in a protective force field, so Red X resorted to using one of his X-portals. The field collapsed, creating an opening the shape of an X, wide enough for him to pass. He jump-kicked Raven in the gut so hard that her force field exploded all together, sending her tumbling across the pavement next to Cyborg.

He smiled proudly; he wasn't even out of breath. Even though he wanted to hunt down whoever harnessed Starfire's powers, he didn't want to stay for long, not with the Titans unable to see him as anything other than a kidnapper. Besides, Starfire had already returned to them—they could figure out the rest for themselves. Too bad he wasn't able to bid a proper goodbye to her. He cracked his neck and flexed his knuckles, but as he prepared to leave, birdarangs whizzed in the air above him, narrowly missing his head, and Robin appeared from above, his sword at the ready, aimed directly at his heart.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Note: Helloooo! Yes I am still alive and again I must apologize for another super late update :( I really had a lot of school work and I got sick so... couldn't update hope you guys can forgive me and I'm really sorry for the delay! Don't forget to leave a REVIEW below really guys it makes me happy to know your thoughts on my story :D FAVES/FOLLOWS are very much welcome too and enjoy reading this one :D Also, do excuse any grammatical errors in this chapter... I'm still feeling under the weather and I was a bit groggy while writing this... anyways enjoy! :)**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Prick Grayson kinda gave me a mental image of a pickle idk why HAHAHA XD Thank you for the review! :D**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **I was inspired by a friend's boyfriend for Robin's character in this chapter, but I won't let it go too overboard 'cause I still want to keep him in character, though I will play on his attitude and ego for a little bit longer ;) Thanks for your thoughts really appreciated :D**

 **To Tir3dForever:** **Thanks for reading and OMG KEEP WRITING GUY/GIRL! I just feel that there aren't enough RedFire/StarX here... I'll be happy to read it when you're ready to share it :D**

 **To reader . scorpio: I had to put a space between your name so that it would appear... well wish granted hahaha I'm really sorry again for the delay :( Hope you enjoy this one and thanks for the review! :)**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

* * *

Red X flipped backward like a gymnast, narrowly escaping as Robin brought the sword down hard, which cut a deep gash on the road. "I was about to think that you wouldn't show up, kid," Red X said, a good few feet away from Robin, his hands up in mock surrender.

"Why did you kidnap Starfire?" Robin roared, closing the distance between them and swinging his sword at Red X, which he countered with his rotating X-blades. Robin was a little more aggressive than usual, his ferocity matching Red X's. He grinned; he always loved a challenge.

His X-blades cut through Robin's sword as if it were made of paper, easily reducing it to three pieces. He chuckled. Robin growled. He used Red X's chest as leverage, kicking him backwards as he leaped into the air, throwing explosive disks in Red X's direction. He shot an X-hook at a nearby streetlight; he zipped straight up, using the momentum to swing himself up on the roof deck of the nearest building. He ran, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, but Robin wasn't too far behind. He appeared in front of Red X, his staff at the ready. "I didn't kidnap her, kid," Red X said, "so lay off of me and get out of my way." The last bits of his sentence darkened, his digital voice deadly calm and deep.

"You're not going anywhere," Robin said. With a cry, he leaped forward, swinging his staff with all his might. Red X rolled to the side, shooting X-shurikens from his gloves as he did. Robin deflected them easily. He jabbed at Red X, which was a mistake; Red X grabbed hold of his staff with one hand, while the other sent a projectile of electricity at him, electrocuting Robin. He cried, his nerves tingling, his body locked in a spasm as he fell to his knees. Red X yanked the staff away from him, breaking it in half with his knee and tossing them aside. "I'm not the enemy here, _Robin_."

Robin didn't answer, nor did he react when Red X used his name instead of calling him 'kid'. He gritted his teeth, steadying his breathing. He tried to clear his mind, but all he heard was the blood pounding in his ears. "This ends now," he hissed, "No weapons. Just you and me."

"Kid, you're not seeing the bigger picture here. Cutie down there needs you right now, and you're going to let your competitiveness blind you? There's always another time for that, if you're still up for it. Now get your butt over there before I change my mind."

Red X turned to leave. Robin's jaw clenched with an audible snap when he said 'cutie'. "So you forfeit then?" Robin said, a sinister smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He froze, gazing darkly over his shoulder. His fists were balled at his sides, which were shaking with rage. He should have known that Robin's emotions would blind him, that his attitude would overrule his better judgment. He should have _known—_ because he would have done the exact same thing, if not worse. But as much as he'd like to play devil's advocate, he'd never back down from a challenge.

"Fine."

Red X pulled his gloves off and unbuckled his utility belt, casting the items aside. Robin removed his belt as well. He cracked his neck, his knuckles white and fists ready, while Robin flexed and whipped into fighting stance. Red X smirked, motioning at him with his forefinger.

Robin charged, delivering a high kick at Red X as he dove, aiming a punch for Robin's midsection.

* * *

Raven was first to reach Starfire. Her red-haired friend could barely move, propped up on her elbows, one hand closed on a black cape and the other pointing to a building. "Starfire, it's alright," Raven said, "I'm here. Let me help you." She held her hands over Starfire's body, searching the source of her weakness. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos..." she chanted under her breath, her hands glowing dull grayish-purple as she worked to heal her friend.

"Where've you been?" Cyborg asked, appearing behind her. "Where's Robin?"

"Please... stop... Robin..." Starfire breathed, her voice dry and hoarse.

"Girl, are you _crazy?"_ Cyborg exclaimed. "Red X kidnapped you! He probably brainwashed you or something! Let Robin settle it!"

"No," she said, drawling the o-sound as her voice faded to a croak. She swallowed, gathering whatever strength she had left so that she could speak, "X did not kidnap me, _he saved me_."

"WHAT?"

"DUDES, LOOK OUT!"

The three of them looked up when the same spaceship that attacked Starfire appeared above them, apparently shooting green starblasts at them. Raven created a protective barrier between her friends and the ship, but the concentrated energy it was firing at them was too strong. "Cyborg, I can't hold it… much longer…" she said, her voice strained, "We have to... get to... Robin... he's after the... wrong guy..."

"How do we know we can trust him?" Cyborg yelled. He leaned to the side, aiming his cannon at the space gun below the craft. He fired, missing it by inches. His sonic beam reflected off of the ship's bottom, sending it back to them. "Gah!" Raven cried, her force field broken, knocking her unconscious. Cyborg pulled them both to the side for cover. Starfire grabbed his arm, her eyes pleading. "You do not have to trust X, Cyborg," she whispered. "Trust _me._ "

Cyborg groaned, and yelled, "Ey, Beast Boy! Get Starfire out of here!" Metallic arms sprouted from the craft, grabbing Cyborg and tossing him across the street. Beast Boy ran to Starfire, slinging her arm over his thin shoulders and transforming into a horse, galloping down in the opposite direction.

* * *

Red X slammed against the wall, his back colliding with the concrete painfully. He couldn't even stop to catch his breath, as Robin kept bearing down on him without pause. He threw a punch, which Red X deflected, catching and pulling his wrist down and behind his back. Robin's chin hit the wall while Red X held his wrist behind him. "You're not losing your edge, are you?" he said, trying hard not to pant. "I was just getting started."

Robin kicked off the wall, sending both of them backward. He straddled Red X, punching his face twice, before finding the end of the fabric of his mask. "Your time's up, Red X," he said. Before Robin could remove the mask, Red X head butted him—he saw stars, but his vision was clear enough to get Robin off him. He grabbed the side of his neck and slammed it hard on the ground. He stood up quickly, kicking Robin's side as he was about to get up, causing him to roll a few feet and double over. "Sorry, kid," he said, tucking the fabric of his mask back into the collar of his shirt, "But you finding out who I am is a turning point for another time." He lunged at Robin once more, completely unaware of the fight occurring in the streets below.

* * *

Beast Boy set Starfire down in a secluded alleyway for a while, his breathing labored, bullets of sweat dripping down the sides of his face. He peeked at the corner, making sure they weren't followed by drones. He gulped. There was only one drone, a few meters down the street, and it was scanning its surroundings at a rapid pace. "Stay put, Star," he said confidently, despite the break in his voice giving him away. "I got this." Starfire could do nothing but watch anxiously as he morphed into a hawk, coming up behind the drone, then landing as a saber-tooth tiger on it. He dug his sharp claws into the craft's surface, scratching the metal but not penetrating it, the sound of screeching metal piercing Starfire's ears. The drone's metal arms snaked around his feline body, so Beast Boy morphed into an elephant as soon as it had its hands on him. His weight was enough to crush the drone to the ground, bits and pieces of it flying everywhere, its metal arms going limp.

Starfire was so busy worrying for Beast Boy that she didn't notice a second drone come up behind her. The drone blasted her with her own starblast, throwing her across the street, her body slightly smoking. She tried to move her limbs, but they felt as heavy as lead. Beast Boy saw more metallic arms wrap around Starfire's body, seizing her. "Star!" he cried, running to her in gorilla form. The drone turned, its space gun aimed at him, firing a particularly strong starblast. He tried to deflect the blast, but it sent him careening far enough back that he crashed into the first drone with a loud thud. He changed back to his real self as the drone, along with Starfire rose into the sky to take off.

* * *

"Listen to me, Robin," Red X said urgently, his voice lacking its usual mischievous tone. Robin was on all fours, coughing up blood on the floor, the red liquid trickling down his chin. "Starfire's in danger and you're just going to waste your time fighting me? What kind of _hero_ are you?"

Red X loomed before him, his shadow engulfing him. He steadied his hand, which was balled up and ready despite how sore his knuckles were. He was pretty sure that his knuckles were bruised badly, and that a few of his fingers were broken. "If you don't save her, she'll d—"

He saw something big and silver come up from the building across from them. It was a drone, and below it, tangled in its metal arms, was Starfire's unconscious body, her hair shining brightly under the moonlight. "Starfire!" he yelled. Robin looked up in horror, realizing what his decisions had led to. The drone attached itself to the silver space ship that appeared out of nowhere, the metal molding seamlessly into each other, swallowing Starfire. At the top of the ship, just behind the windshield, her body appeared encased in a glass coffin of sorts. Red X ran, stooping down to grab his belt, fastening it on as he did. He jumped the gap between the buildings, hitting the teleportation button on his buckle with his fist. He reappeared on the ship just before it turned to leave. He nearly lost his balance when the ship lurched forward, gathering speed quickly. He barely stepped one foot when a robot twice his size emerged from the ship's wing, its feet partially molded with the ship's surface. Its hands were shaped like hammers, and the robot swung them around aggressively. He ducked, bent backward and flipped to avoid the robot's blows, which sent him further away from Starfire and closer to the edge of the wing. The robot swung at him. He ducked, just as Robin emerged from under the ship's wing, kicking the bot straight in the face.

He didn't know how he got up here, but he wasn't going to stop and ask. Robin was fighting the robot hand-to-hand—just the distraction he needed to get to Starfire. He teleported, reappearing on top of the glass case that held her captive. She was barely conscious, but her eyes widened slightly when she saw him. "Hang in there, cutie! I'm gonna get you out of there, just stay with me!" he bellowed over the wind. He was about to produce his X-portal when he froze; he had left his gloves on the roof deck.

Red X stared at his bare hands, which were bloodied and bruised. Nonetheless, he began punching and kicking the glass with all his might, but to no avail. His knuckles were cut open, a steady stream of blood flowing from them. Cracks appeared on the glass, but not enough to shatter it. Starfire was pointing at something behind him. He turned and saw Robin tumble across the wing, unable to get up anymore, his body bruised and one of his eyes swollen shut. Though her voice sounded muffled, he knew what she was telling him.

"Save _Robin_."

"No!" he yelled, placing his bare hand on the glass, his joints crying out in pain. "I'm not leaving you here! I can't!"

Starfire put her hand exactly where his was placed, and he could almost feel it through the glass. She smiled at him—a sad, reassuring smile that made his heart ache. His vision was swimming in and out of focus as he thought desperately for another way. But then the robot delivered one more blow, throwing Robin off the ship with a loud smack. Red X took one last look at Starfire with their hands on the glass, then with an anguished groan, he dove off the ship after Robin.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author's Note: Hello there! I'm alive and well... damn school works D: Anyways, do forgive me if this chapter's a bit shorter than the others (idk how to tell whether a chapter is 'short' or not really back to the point) Don't forget to REVIEW/FAVE/FOLLOW my story... it really means a lot you guys I can't even tell you how grateful I am :D Thanks so much for reading and enjoy this one! **

**To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **Yes I am feeling better though I'm still drowning in homework :'( Anyways that's probably my favorite Red X line in the entire series! As for the Titans, I guess it's because they don't understand how complex Red X is, save, perhaps, for Starfire *wink wink* Thanks for your thoughts and review!**

 **To Miss Geek:** **Yep well even the strongest women just need to be loved and saved from time to time... preferably by a complicated anti-hero with a sexy voice ;) HAHAHA thanks for the review!**

 **To hope02:** **Thanks! Hope you enjoy this one and hope you keep on reading :D**

 **To 9linn8:** **Thank you so much! I'm very honored for inspiring you to sail with the Red X + Starfire ship ;) You know, I got inspired by pinkuchama's art on tumblr... you should check it out :)**

 **To ilani261: Thank you and sorry to keep you waiting! Hope you like this one! :)**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINE**

* * *

Red X shot through the air like a bullet, the wind howling in his ears. He rammed into Robin's midsection, grabbing him by the waist and redirecting his fall. He was half-awake—or Red X thought he was, he couldn't tell since both of his eyes seemed swollen. The two fell past the cloud bank, and he realized that they were above the forests outside of Jump City. He didn't want to risk teleporting with Robin; it was too dangerous. He could see Titans Tower, but it was too far and they'd never make it in time. They'd land in the sea, and neither of them were in good shape for a swim. He thought hard for another solution out of this, the gears in his head going haywire. He'd have to aim for the trees, or some low hill, at the same time slow their descent—and without his gadgets and Robin's utility belt, teleportation was their only shot.

He closed his eyes, grabbing hold of Robin's midsection, and hit the teleportation button. They disappeared, reappearing a few meters down from where they were. He hoped beyond all hope that this could somehow save their lives, and he knew that he'd have to make several jumps more. They continued to teleport, changing course every time, until they crash-landed on a soft patch of land. They tumbled downhill, landing at the bottom with a thud. Red X's limbs felt like noodles; the sudden and continuous teleportation was taking its toll on him. He got up shakily just as Robin had begun to stir. He looked up, his heart sinking. There was no sign of the ship anywhere, no thanks to the thick gray clouds that covered the otherwise starry night sky.

"You _let_ them get away," Robin growled behind him. He had gotten up, his knees wobbling like a newborn deer's. He couldn't move his left shoulder, and he fought not to wince. Red X snapped; he turned so suddenly, his hands bunched up in the collar of Robin's shirt, pushing him against a nearby tree so hard that a couple of leaves and twigs fell. Robin's face was contorted in an ugly grimace of pain, his feet dangling a couple of inches from the ground. "Are you incapable of processing anything with that little bird brain of yours?" Red X hissed furiously, his breathing labored. His digital voice made him sound twice as menacing. "I saved you because _she wanted me to!_ And you should be damn grateful that I had even the _slightest_ bit of heart to save your sorry ass—otherwise your team would be scraping up bits and pieces of you from the forest floor with a spoon!"

He angrily pushed Robin back once more before letting him go, his hands shaking, his head spinning from the sudden rush. Red X turned away from him as he coughed and grunted on the round, walking a few feet down to the nearest tree and banging his fist on the hard trunk. He fought to keep a level head and a reasonable calm, trying to steady his breathing, inhaling deeply through his nose and exhaling slowly through his mouth. He leaned his head in defeat against the hard bark, his eyes burning at the back of his throat. He felt suffocated, but he resisted the urge to rip his mask off. He could have saved her—he _should_ have. Though Starfire begged him not to, he should have. He felt his stomach churn and his chest ache at his own stupidity, the sides of his head throbbing. He heard twigs snap nearby, causing him to whip into action without hesitation, lunging at the noise and landing on Beast Boy.

He yelped, falling back on the ground with Red X's fist inches away from his face. "Dude, watch it! We come in peace!" he said, shrugging dirt off of his uniform as Red X released him, letting out a low breath to calm his nerves once again. Raven was kneeling beside Robin and was doing her best to heal him despite the damage she dealt with earlier. Cyborg stood next to Red X, his nerves tingling in anticipation in case he tried anything. Red X just narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, this marks the last time I try to play the hero," he mumbled.

"Maybe if you didn't kidnap Starfire in the first place, none of this would ever happen!" Robin yelled, fully healed and standing up, pointing an accusing finger at Red X.

"God, you really can't get anything into that bird brain of yours, can you?"

The two started bickering, each raising their voices over the other, until such point that Raven had to scream, "SHUT IT!" She stood between them, her eyes dangerously staring daggers at both of them. Robin scoffed and turned away while Red X crossed his arms on his chest. Raven took note of the bruises and open wounds he had on his knuckles, and raised a hand to him, healing his injuries. He didn't speak; he just stared down at his hands, watching new skin stretch over the gashes. "Robin, we're going to have to ask you to please let go of your ego and stop acting like a child for once," she said, her voice monotonous yet very, very annoyed.

"You should listen to her, kid—"

"And you," Raven snapped, looking at him with fire in her otherwise dark eyes, "shut up."

Red X swiped his hand across his lips in a zipping motion, twisting an imaginary key and throwing it away while clasping his hands behind his back and smiling like a good boy. Raven rolled her eyes. "Robin, Star told me that Red X saved her," Cyborg said, "and I believe her. Because the scans I did earlier turned up empty on Red X. Let's just say that he was there at right place, at the right time."

"And I'm supposed to just thank _him?_ " Robin snapped.

"Well, technically he saved _your_ life, too," Beast Boy said, scratching his head and laughing nervously. He inched his way behind Cyborg when Robin scowled at him darkly.

"Believe me, if I knew this would happen, I would have just left her at the tower when that the thing took her powers. Then I wouldn't have _this_ to deal with," Red X said. It wasn't entirely true, though. He knew he couldn't just leave her there. Raven sensed this, being the empath that she was, but decided not to say anything. She said instead, "Well, now that it's here, we can either come up with a plan to save Starfire, or we can just continue arguing like babies. So what's it gonna be?"

Robin exhaled slowly. "Cyborg, what did your scan say?"

* * *

Starfire stared hopelessly out of the glass coffin she was in. They were way out of the Earth's atmosphere, the magnificent blue planet shrinking to the size of a marble as they fled further away. She weakly banged her fists on the glass, kicking it with her feet as well but to no avail. Tears filled her eyes when she eyed the cracks on the glass, which were splattered with Red X's blood.

"Oh, _Jason_ ," she whispered, tracing her fingers along the cracks. She froze. She _should_ be worried for Robin, who got beat up and tossed off the ship, her teammate, her leader, her closest friend—and not Jason, or Red X, or whatever he wanted her to call him, who was a criminal. A criminal who saved her life. A criminal who fed her and gave her shelter. A criminal who trusted her enough to open up to her about his past even though they were adversaries. She couldn't feel this way about a _criminal_ , and yet deep down, there was no denying that she worried for him, that she'd grown to care for him as he did for her. In the brief time that they spent together, she got to know him deeper—was it all a lie? Could it be a ploy played by him to manipulate her? But he seemed genuinely nice to her, she thought. She shook her head, ridding it of her other thoughts, convincing herself instead that both of them were alright.

The glass shuddered as it entered the interior of the ship, which was dimly lit by the buttons on the surrounding panels. "Eep!" she yelped, when the coffin tilted so that she was partially standing up. The stars from the window outside shed a little light in the room she was in, where a huge, bulking silhouette loomed before her.

"Who are you? I demand that you release me at once!" Starfire yelled, her voice echoing loudly in her glass case. She sounded as if she were a fish in an aquarium. She kicked at the glass harder, but her strength was quickly fading. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and palpitations sent a hitch in her breath.

More lights turned on, one by one lighting up the interior. Starfire suddenly felt an odd sense of déjà vu. The surface inside was a beautiful midnight blue that reminded her of the sky back on Earth, just after the last light of dusk disappears. She was facing the main cockpit, where a large, black leather chair blocked her view of the ship's captain. Then the chair in front of her spun around, and she gasped, her hand flying to her cover her mouth.

"Good to see you again, _troq_."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author's Note: Guess who's late for another update... I'm really really sorry you guys it's just been getting hard to write right now because midterms just finished last week and I'm still neck-deep in homework :( But I managed to power through and behold, this chapter :D Don't forget to leave a REVIEW and tell me what you guys think plus FOLLOWS/FAVES are greatly appreciated as well :) Enjoy this one you guys!**

 **To 9linn8:** **Thanks! Hope you like this one! PS Sorry not sorry for that itty bitty cliffhanger XD**

 **To Waterlily Angel:** **Thank you for the review! Sorry this update came a little late but still hope you enjoy reading my story :D**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **I literally sang that first sentence in my head HAHAHA XD Well... who wouldn't side with Red X at this point ;) *wink wink* Thank you so much and I appreciate your thoughts as always ;)**

 **To laniDG11: Hahaha thank youuu :D Like saying that my fanfic is worth reading just really made my day! Glad you're digging into Jason's character though... he's probably more complex than most, but he's also the most realistically human to be honest. If you want to read more on Jason, head on to ****AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust's profile and check out his/her stories :D**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TEN**

* * *

" _Val-yor_?" Red X asked.

"Some space dude we met before," Beast Boy said dreamily. Red X raised an eyebrow; drool was oozing out of the corner of his mouth, and stars were dancing in front of his eyes. Raven smacked the back of Beast Boy's head, snapping him out of his reverie. He frowned at Raven, rubbing the base of his neck.

"Long story, but he's a Vernathian warrior with a huge problem with Tamaraneans. Thinks they're inferior," Cyborg said. Red X noticed an edge in his voice, as if the mere thought of this Val-yor disgusted him.

"But why would Val-yor even bother to steal Starfire's powers if he thought that she was inferior?" Raven asked.

"He's a bully, Rae. Ever had your lunch money stolen at recess before?"

"Do I _look_ like I went through high school?"

"He probably needed a power source for something," Red X cutting in between Raven and Cyborg's conversation. "He already got Starfire's, which powered those drones. Who's to say that he's not out there looking for more?"

"So he's headed for Tamaran?"

"Just saying. Bu that's what I would do if I were him."

"Robin?"

Robin was silent, staring at the stars as if he were searching for a sign or praying for a miracle—possibly both—his brain desperately looking for other possible motives. As much as he hated to admit it, Red X had a point. He turned to face his team, who were all looking at him expectantly—except for Red X, who was busy picking dirt out from under his nails. "We head for Tamaran. Starfire's out there and she needs our help," he concluded.

"I'm coming with you," Red X said, stepping forward.

"No."

"This was my idea—and you're not taking credit for it."

"You're staying here."

"You're not the boss of me, _kid._ "

"I am the leader of this team—"

"I'm not part of your team—"

"—you're a criminal—"

"—do you really want to go again—?"

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!"

Raven pursed her lips, her jaw clenched and her teeth gritted. She chanted her mantra under her breath over and over until she managed to calm down. Robin slapped his forehead, muttering a string of words too low for Red X to hear. He exhaled slowly, and mumbled, "Fine. But try anything with me, or my team, I'm taking you out. And when all of this is over, you're going to hand over _my_ suit and we'll take you straight to jail. Deal?"

Robin extended his hand. Red X's eyes hardened, staring at it repulsively. _Life's so unfair,_ he thought. But this was his best chance at saving Starfire, and he could tell that the Titans will need all the help that they could get. In his mind, he didn't see Robin with his hand extended to him—he saw Starfire, and the night when her pinky was entwined with his, her green eyes shining brightly in the darkness, her smile the sun in his otherwise miserable life.

He took Robin's hand and shook it once. "Deal."

"Then you better suit up," Cyborg said, tossing him his gloves. Red X caught them, slipping them on just as the T-ship appeared above their heads.

* * *

"Definitely where all troqs should be," Val-yor said in a matter-of-factly manner, standing up from his seat and walking to her. He noticed the blood smears and the cracked glass, to which he made clicking noises with his tongue upon closer inspection.

Starfire narrowed her eyes. "I thought of you highly before," she hissed through gritted teeth, "even though you called me that horrible name, I respected you as a friend. But now, you have destroyed whatever respect I had left for you."

"It doesn't matter, _troq_. You think I care?"

"What have you done to my powers?" she demanded.

"All good things to those who wait," Val-yor chimed. "Tell me, troq—how does it feel to be literally powerless? Useless? Worthless?"

Starfire didn't answer. She glared at him. Val-yor smirked, his broad chest heaving as he chuckled darkly. "Well, your entire planet's about to find out."

Val-yor flicked a switch on one of the consoles, filling the capsule with white smoke. "Val-yor! What do you intend to do with my planet? Let me out! VAL-YOR!" Starfire began coughing, her vision swimming in and out of focus. She fought to break the glass once more, her limbs getting weaker, and her eyelids heavier by the second. Her head fell back, and she felt herself slipping away from consciousness.

* * *

Red X was silently strapped to Starfire's seat in the T-ship as they sailed into outer space—it was either this or Cyborg was putting him in the trunk.

He grumbled, the joints in his knees yearning to be stretched. His ankles and wrists were attached to the plush leather seat with cuffs that tightened when he struggled against them, courtesy once again of Cyborg. He couldn't even shift on his seat without the cuffs cutting off the blood circulation in his toes and fingers. "Is this really necessary?" he asked through the mic and headphones he was wearing, which were dangerously askew on his head thanks to Beast Boy.

" _I can't have you messing around in my ship,"_ Cyborg said. Red X let out an exasperated breath, staring out the window with his head resting against the headrest. He had always been so fascinated with the stars, and he felt like a little kid again knowing that he was in outer space. He couldn't help but gawk in awe, trying to internalize as much as he could.

From the other side of the T-ship, Raven felt sudden change in Red X's emotions. He felt so _elated._ She couldn't help but wonder who the hell this guy was—and what made Robin suddenly so jealous and insecure of him. She always thought that it was because of Starfire, but she sensed that it was also about something else.

" _Are we there yet?"_ Red X asked through the mic, which transmitted through all of their communicators.

" _No,"_ Robin said curtly.

There was a short period of silence. Then Red X spoke up again.

" _Are we there yet?"_

" _No._ "

" _Are we there yet?"_

" _NO!"_

" _Jeez, take it easy, kid. I'm just playing; I'm bored, and it's no fun to be strapped to a chair like this."_

Raven rolled her eyes. She dismissed her previous thought, concluding that Red X was just a real pain in the ass to deal with. Then alarms blared within the T-ship, targets appearing as red dots in her screen—and there was a _lot_ of them. _"Heads up, we got incoming and they're closing in quick,"_ Cyborg said. Raven buckled her seatbelt, her fingers flying on her console as she set up her defense systems. It took all of her willpower not to cut off communications when Red X spoke up again.

" _Get me out of these cuffs. Now."_

" _No."_

" _I'm starting to think that 'no' is the only word in your vocabulary, kid."_

" _SHUT UP!"_

" _Uh, dudes?"_ Beast Boy said, his gulp audible even through the microphone, _"I hate to break it to you—BUT THERE'S AN ENTIRE ROBO-FLEET STRAIGHT AHEAD OF US!"_


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Note: *cricket noises* ... I had homework. I'm really really truly sorry guys :( I'm going to make this short because I really want you to get down and read this update hahahaha as always thank you for bearing with me and don't forget to tell me your thoughts by leaving a REVIEW below :D Thanks guys and enjoy!**

 **To Levi16:** **Thank you hahaha sorry for the late update... hope you keep reading though! :)**

 **To laniDG11: Welp I had the time... I'm getting real conscious about how late I'm updating this fic :( But thanks for staying with me and please do read on! :D**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **Yuuup that just happened :D I've only ever read your profile because as I said to Miss Geek during the earlier parts of this fic, I don't read other fanfics so that I don't get pressured by other people's writing so I'm sorry if I haven't reviewed your stories yet... but nonetheless they deserve a shout-out 'cuz from the looks of it, you have really really good content :D thoughts are appreciated as always and I totally agree about siding with Red X... ladies love a bad boy, and hopefully, Star loves one too ;)**

 **To 9linn8: You're very welcome hahaha and thanks for the review! Hope you like this one :D**

 **To reader . scorpio: Awww thank yoouuu! Sorry to keep you waiting though huhuhu school really drains me and makes it hard to produce chapters that meet my personal expectations... but I hope you still enjoy reading! :)**

 **To thnx4killingme:** **I'm going to collectively reply to your reviews and to start off I love your enthusiasm! Reading your reviews genuinely made me smile and I really do appreciate how much you like my story :D I also like the sort of dark humor going on in there... we have that in common (shhh) hahahaha anyways keep holding on if you want to reach the end of my fic! ;)**

 **To x-Misao-x: Thanks! Hope you stick around though :) Btw RobStar is cute (like I won't even deny it when I watched the series) but that spark between Starfire and Red X really won me over, especially after looking through fan art like holy sh*t XD**

 **To brenda sianipar:** **Well here you go! Sorry for the late update though... hope you enjoy reading and thanks for the review!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN**

* * *

The miniature fleet that consisted of at most twenty of Val-yor's drones were different than those they fought on Earth—their shape was more aerodynamic and sleek, and looked more like sizable versions of Val-yor's ship. Each drone had two blasters beneath them, armed and locked and ready to shoot. Robin's knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he banked the T-ship hard to the left. "Titans, brace yourselves!" he yelled through his microphone. The fleet followed in hot pursuit, shooting green starbolts at them rapidly. The T-ship shuddered violently as it took the hits, the sounds of the impact outside a low _boom_ that reverberated within the ship's walls.

On the port side, Red X grunted, followed by a sharp intake of breath as the cuffs on his wrists tightened. "Screw this," he muttered. He opened his palm, where an electric shock X-shuriken appeared, catching it with his two fingers just as the T-ship lurched forward once more. He prayed a silent prayer, hoping that he wouldn't accidentally electrocute himself, and flicked the X-shuriken at the cuff. It sparked and fizzed briefly before releasing him. He produced an X-blade, slicing through the rest and buckled his seatbelt on.

" _H-hey! What do you think you're doing?"_ Cyborg stuttered in disbelief. _"B-but... those were thief-proof!"_

Red X stared at him through the windshield, his brow raised—then burst out laughing. Tears were in his eyes, Cyborg's whining making him double over in his seat. "'Thief-proof'... good one..." he said in between breaths, clutching a stitch at his side. The T-ship lurched again, this time to the side. Robin had opened fire, blasting the drones in front with charged particle beams.

" _Now's not the time for games, Red X!"_ Robin yelled at him.

"Relax, I know how to fly this thing—well, sort of," Red X replied confidently, fixing the sloppy way his headphones were put on his head. He gripped his own steering wheel and prepared to release his pod from the T-ship. He was fairly familiar with the basic controls, and that was all that mattered. He reeled back slightly, palpitations closing up his chest, his brain fogging up when he remembered _who_ taught him how to fly. _You'll be thanking me one day for this, Jason,_ Slade's voice echoed in his head. He shook his head violently to get rid of the voice before he started reminiscing the painful torture that came afterward. Red X hit the switch that detached his pod from the rest of the Titans. _"What are you doing? I didn't tell you to separate!"_ Robin yelled through the communicator.

"I told you before, kid," he said, turning and locking on his targets, "I'm _not_ part of your team, so stop bossing me around and let me have a little fun." He fired, charging at the drones, coming up behind the rest of the T-ship and firing at those that were tailgating it. He shot at them with ferocious accuracy, never missing a target, quickly moving to the next after the first was destroyed.

 _He's a fair flyer, even better shooter,_ Robin thought—he stopped himself before he started to gawk at Red X's skills, groaning loudly, and ordered, "Titans, separate!"

The remaining pods detached with a hiss, with Cyborg flying ahead, and Raven and Beast Boy taking the drones on the right. Robin turned his ship around, shooting down the drones in his way with precision that matched Red X's. He sped towards him—or rather, the drone that was targeting him. He leveled out, lining his pod up to the drone, and opened fire, the energy blast causing the drone to explode. He flew over Red X's pod, barrel rolling over it. Red X gave him a curt nod before he veered to the right, where Cyborg shot the last drone.

" _Booyah!"_ he said, throwing a fist in the air as the pods regrouped in the middle of floating debris.

" _Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!"_ Beast Boy added. The two high-fived through their windshield, causing Raven to roll her eyes.

"Nice flying, X," Robin said.

" _Not so bad yourself, kid,"_ he said. Robin figured that that was as close as he could get to a thank you from him, but he allowed himself a small smile.

He couldn't see under the mask, but Red X was smiling too. Though that smile faded quickly when he reminded himself that he wasn't one of them, that he will never be one of them—and that he didn't want to become like him. Red X was sweating bullets underneath the mask, and all he could hear was the sound of his breaths and the voice that haunted his dreams.

" _Not bad, Jason. You're almost just like him. Nothing a little more training can't fix," Slade said. He was strapped to a reclined chair with thick leather belts strapping him in place. "However, you're still fighting it. The longer you resist, the more painful it gets." He screamed when the first wave of electricity coursed through his veins. He continued screaming, shock after shock, even though he knew that no one would come for him, that no one could hear him, that no one could save him._

" _Is everybody okay? Raven? Beast Boy? Cyborg? X? X, come in! Are you hurt?"_ Robin asked. Red X flinched, trying to control his uneven breathing, his hands shaking as he gripped the wheel. "Aww, so you _do_ care? I'm flattered, kid," he said, hoping that the snide remark was enough to mask how shaky his voice was. It may have fooled Robin, who rolled his eyes and grumbled, but not Raven. She looked across her window past Beast Boy, wondering what Red X had seen. She could delve into his mind and find out, but when he looked back at her with that knowing look in his eye, she knew it wasn't her place.

* * *

Starfire was first aware of the voices.

They were hissing, fading in and out, getting louder and a little bit discernible as she came into consciousness. Still, they sounded as if they were underwater. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright lights. She was still in her glass case, but she wasn't in the ship anymore—she was in a huge, circular room with a domed ceiling and brightly lit panels on the walls. At the center stood a tall metal pillar with thick wires attached to four ray guns, which protruded from its side. Slimy schlurches were lined up on platforms above them, which connected to four catwalks that converged onto a circular platform at the top of the pillar. At the center of the domed ceiling was a large, circular glass lens. Something white was glowing up there, its brightness rivalling that of the sun back on Earth.

She saw her fellow Tamaraneans lined up, tears forming in the back of her throat when she saw that they were bound in chains that linked them all together. Some of them were still children, whose lime green eyes that matched her own were filled with fear and terror. Val-yor's drones hovered beside them, menacing space guns pointed on a swivel at her people, pushing those who put up a fuss along. Those in front were standing directly in front of the ray guns, and with a loud zapping sound, they cried out in pain, the same, silvery white light engulfing them. Starfire gasped when she saw that their powers were being taken, the neon green ultraviolet energy being sucked up through the ray guns and into the wires that led to the top of the metal column. After they were through with the guns, schlurches hauled their unconscious bodies outside the room.

"No! Stop!" she cried, helplessly banging on the glass. "Please, stop hurting my people!" Some of them looked at her, the expressions on their faces hopeless and forlorn. Others' eyes glowed, but before they could even strike back, the drones fired, emitting the same silver beam that took their powers as well. Starfire had never felt so remarkably helpless in her entire life. She thrashed about in her glass capsule just as a drone hovered in front of her, its metallic arms wrapping around the capsule and taking her up and away from her people. She was unable to stop the tears that streamed down her face as the zapping and screaming continued, her hands flying to her ears in attempt to block out the cries.

"Aww, hush now, _little sister_ ," drawled a familiar voice, causing Starfire's head to snap up. The drone set her down at the edge of the platform, turning it around so that she was facing her sister, Blackfire. The source of the brightness earlier was shining right behind her, outlining her entire figure and making it hard for Starfire to look at her. She narrowed her eyes at her, especially since she noticed that the crown of Tamaran was back on her head. "It seems as though you've already met my _partner_ ," she added, placing her hand on her hip while the other gestured to the side, revealing Val-yor, whose fingers were drumming on a panel. She smirked. "Why do you work with him?" Starfire asked, enraged, "Do you not know what horrible word he uses to call us? He uses the T-word!"

"I think you mean just 'you', hon," Blackfire said. "Because I'm not like the rest of the Tamaran, am I, sister dear? I'm stronger, faster and far more powerful than you'll ever be."

"Not like the rest of you troqs," Val-yor huffed, standing next to Blackfire. "Blackfire here's been telling me stories. She even reminds me of myself—and you? Just look at the lot of you. All that power going to waste. It didn't even take a proper fight to get you guys to surrender."

"Why are you doing this?" Starfire asked, her heart sinking with dread.

"After your encounter with Val-yor way back when, word slipped out to his home planet that he was saved by a Tamaranean—the lesser beings. He was stripped of his ranks, and banished from Vernathia. So when he came back to Earth, he vowed to destroy you and your precious little friends. Little did he know of course that I wanted that, too. And so, call it fate or whatever, we came up with a brilliant plan to get rid of you."

"How could you do this to me? To Tamaran? How could betray your people like this?"

"I think you mean how could _you_ betray _me_!" she snapped. She marched to the capsule, jabbing an accusing finger at her sister through the glass. Her eyes glowed purple dangerously, reminding Starfire of her horrible past—the experiments, the torture, the radiation. "You exiled me. You cast me out of our home. You took _everything_ away from me. And now..."

Blackfire smiled wickedly, reminding Starfire of a lioness with its teeth bared—and with her lilac eyes, she looked twice as evil. "... I'm going to do the same to you."


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author's Note: I'm still alive... sort of :( Ever had this feeling that your academic writing is sucking the life out of your creative writing? Yep well it happened to me and it really took me a few tries with this chapter just cuz I feel like it's getting dull ... so I'm sorry I took this long to update... I just didn't want to post something that didn't pass my own standard. I didn't want to disappoint anyone and I hope you guys understand :( Anyways... I'm back and hopefully after finals (which is in two weeks lol pray for me) I'll be able to get back to writing full-time :D Enjoy, review and tell me what you guys think! :D**

 **To 9linn8: Thank you! Glad you liked it :D**

 **To laniDG11: More plot twists on the way *wink wink* hope you stick till the end for 'em ;)**

 **To brenda sianipar:** **Tbh I didn't plan for Blackfire to reappear since the start of this fic, but then I figured that a little sister rivalry won't hurt anyone ;) Glad you enjoyed the last chapter though!**

 **To Levi16:** **Thank you for the review! Hope you enjoy this one and again I apologize for the late update :(**

 **To thnx4killingme:** **Anytime! I can't promise more Star &RedX in this one but I still hope you read it. Again, I am really really reaaalllyyy sorry for this late update huhuhu :'( Hope you understand and I do hope that your plot fails and you don't come barging into my room in the middle of the night and demand me to write another chapter HAHA XD (teleportation hm? interesting... *wink*)**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **It's alright hahaha I understand :) I'm really glad you still reviewed though... it's not one of my best chapters :( Plus, of course Red X'll come to the rescue... he endured the Titans for that and I hope you'll stick around for that :) Thanks again for the review!**

 **To star-redx fan: Don't eat your iPad kids! You won't be able to read on if you do! Hahahaha JK XD I promise more Star&RedX in the future but for now I'll leave this chapter here... thanks for the review and enthusiasm!**

 **To Bruised Orange: Noted hehehe will try to produce longer ones... I just really suck at writing action scenes cuz I can't find words to describe how they all play out in my head XD Thanks for the review!**

 **To reader . scorpio: Awww thank yoouuu! Sorry to keep you waiting though huhuhu school really drains me and makes it hard to produce chapters that meet my personal expectations... but I hope you still enjoy reading! :)**

 **To crystal: Thank you and here you go! Sorry for the late update though I still hope you enjoy :D**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story. (and the word nychthemeron, it's an actual word I just used it cuz it sounded cool and unique. How I used the word doesn't follow it's true meaning though)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWELVE**

* * *

"You see, my days of scooping up muck on the swamp moons of Drenthax IV didn't go to waste—in fact, I found something there that was far more powerful than the Jewel of Charta," Blackfire said, the glow in her eyes dissipating. She turned to the side, gesturing to the center piece of the machine Val-yor was setting up earlier. It took a while for Starfire's eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness, and when she was able to see, her jaw dropped.

At the center of the platform they were standing on was a metal pedestal, where the wires from down below were connected to a device that housed a beautiful white prism. The crystal was no bigger than her hand, and as it rotated on the device, it gave off a reflection that shone like rainbows in Starfire's eyes. Light from the crystal pulsed as it absorbed the ultraviolet energy from her people below, the crystal gradually turning a light shade of green. Val-yor stood over to the side next to the panel again, monitoring the machine. "The Imperium Crystal," Blackfire continued, "a rare jewel, its formation occurring only once every nine nychthemerons. It has the power to harness all types of energy throughout the galaxy, including our ultraviolet powers."

"And this device, which I built, concentrates that energy," Val-yor added. "Turns it into a sort of laser, if you will."

Starfire's teeth were chattering—from the anger, the fear or the cold, she didn't know. "I-if y-y-y-you b-b-believe t-t-that you a-r-r-re m-o-o-ore p-p-powerful t-t-than a-all of us-s-s, t-then w-why d-do you have t-t-to s-steal all of o-our p-p-powers?" Starfire asked, her eyes narrowed and lips pursed despite the mammoth task it was to get her words out. Blackfire's smile widened almost maniacally. "Patience, sister dear," Blackfire said. "I saved the best seat in the house especially for you. Just try to stay alive, will you? I don't want you to miss a thing." At her words, Starfire felt a sudden rush of coldness seep into her bones, mixed with dread and utter terror. "M-m-my f-f-f-f-friends w-will s-s-stop you," she said, her teeth chattering, her eyes fluttering shut as she shivered.

"They can try."

* * *

" _Approaching in on stealth mode,"_ Robin said through the communicator, _"Be on the look out. Val-yor probably has drones orbiting the planet. And X?"_

Red X awoke with a jolt, clearing his throat loudly and blinking awake—he was trying his best not to nod off, his feet crossed and twitching lazily on the dashboard. "What?" he asked innocently.

" _Take your feet off the dash."_

The T-ship's surface gleamed, each panel blinking as it reflected the colors of its surroundings. By the time the holographic cloak completely enveloped the T-ship, Tamaran was already in view, a beautiful pink and milky white planet. Red X's jaw dropped, straightening up on the seat with his forehead pressed against the glass. The planet seemed to be smaller than Earth, but much more striking and vibrant in color. _"We're clear,"_ Raven said. The T-ship lurched forward, penetrating the atmosphere through the thick purplish clouds. Despite the bright color of the planet from outer space, the landscape itself was the stuff of nightmares. Bare cliffs and sharp rock formations stood tall and menacing, the barren and deserted wasteland stretching on for miles. Red X wasn't sure what time of day it was, as the sky above them was just as dark and murky as the land below it. " _This_ is Tamaran?" he asked. "I thought it'd be more… _Starfire-y."_

" _Yup,"_ Cyborg replied. _"This is the aftermath of the Gordanian invasion many years ago—an entire ecosystem, destroyed. The only thing left standing is the—"_

" _The Tamaranean Royal Palace,"_ Beast Boy finished, pointing straight ahead. The palace didn't look much different from the rocky mountains that surrounded the area, except that it was brightly lit and was made of light lavender stone. At the bottom of the palace was an observatory-like building, minus the huge telescope. The domed ceiling was colored bright silver with accents of dark blackish-blue metal. At the top of the dome was a single spire, pointing straight up to the heavens. "What's that?" he asked.

" _Hmm, that's new,"_ Raven said monotonously. _"I'm picking up life forms along the perimeter."_

" _Cyborg, get us close, but not too close,"_ Robin ordered. The T-ship descended, landing silently and smoothly behind a low rock formation a few feet away from the observatory. The windshields hissed open as the Titans emerged from their pods. Red X removed his communicator and tossed it on the dash. He was slightly terrified as he got out, partially because he was on an alien planet and he knew nothing about it. He inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a few seconds, waiting for any sort of reaction. Nothing. He sighed in relief.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow.

He looked at her and shrugged. "Not quite what I was expecting."

"Titans, incoming!" Robin yelled, pointing at something due north of them. A cloud of smoke was rushing to them, and the sound of loud footfalls echoed from it like a stampede of wildebeests. "It's Galfore!"

"Who?"

"Starfire's nanny," Beast Boy said, chuckling, earning him a glare from Raven. The man they called Galfore was twice as large as Cyborg, both in height _and_ width. He had a broad and stocky build—his arms were huge and muscular, his hands massive and hammy. Half of his face was buried in his bright red beard, which was long and secured in silver bands. He had the same eyes as Starfire, bright neon green, but there was a scar running along his right eye, making him look more menacing—even more so when Red X saw that he wore furry pads on his shoulders, like a chieftain of a tribe. And as if that wasn't enough, Galfore was riding a huge alien monster with a large black maw and its lower fangs, although somewhat dull, sticking out from his mouth. Behind him were only a handful of other Tamaraneans, most of which were still children. "Teen Titans! X'hal!" he said, placing his fist on his chest as he dismounted. The Titans followed suit as they got down on one knee. Galfore waved a hand at them, after which they all stood up. "Thank goodness you arrived, and just in time, too." He eyed Red X—who didn't kneel, nor formally greet him like the Titans did. Red X held his ground as Galfore approached him with a scowl on his face, not at all intimidated by the hulking mass that neared him—but his pulse betrayed him, as did the movement of his Adam's apple when he swallowed. "Who is this new one?" Galfore asked, bending down to Red X's eye level. With hands like those, Galfore could easily snap his body in half like a twig. He could feel the tension rolling off of the Titans—he could almost hear them collectively praying that he wouldn't mess this up, and Beast Boy biting his nails off anxiously. He narrowed his eyes at Galfore, levelling his gaze, his hands shaking in anticipation. "I'm a friend of Starfire's," he said, his voice neutral and calm. "I saved her life—"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Red X grunted when Galfore picked him up in a literal bone-crushing hug, squeezing the breath out of his lungs and lifting him up from the floor. He felt a couple of his bones crack, pins and needles pinching at his fingertips as they went numb. Galfore's deep voice rumbled like thunder, thanking him—which Red X would have acknowledged if he were speaking in English.

"Uh, what just happened?" Beast Boy whispered to Raven just as Galfore set Red X down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Robin staring daggers in his direction. He turned and winked at him, his scowl darkening tenfold.

"The Princess Komand'r has returned. She now rules this planet, and thousands of Tamaranean lives are at stake."

"Komand'r as in...?" Cyborg asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Blackfire," Galfore said, his small brows furrowing before he bowed his head in dismay. "And she has brought with her an ally that built that machine over there. He goes by the name of Val-yor."

"Val-yor and Blackfire working _together?"_ Robin said in disbelief.

"I thought you said he hated Tamaraneans," Red X said.

"We thought so, too," Raven replied, "but maybe it's because the two of them a similar—they're both so full of themselves."

"What happened exactly?" Robin asked.

"Blackfire and Val-yor attacked the palace along with an army from Drenthax IV—a real one this time, with schlurches everywhere. She took the crown and had all Tamaraneans captured and assembled in lines. I managed to escape and free some of my people, but not before witnessing the true horror of their plans. That machine they built… it is most powerful. It has the ability to harness Tamaranean energy and use it as a weapon of mass destruction. They had somehow acquired the Imperium Crystal, the jewel that powers the machine, where all our powers had been absorbed into."

"So all your powers are in that crystal?"

Galfore nodded. "Unfortunately, I did not escape the machine—it took my powers, as well as the little ones'," he said, gesturing to the others behind him. They looked as weary and drained as Starfire when he first saw her without her powers. "How do we destroy it?" Cyborg asked.

"The jewel is protected by a force field of pure energy, and that machine puts it on a delicate balance. One cannot just simply grab and steal the jewel; it will cause a quantum effect and create a blackhole that will take Tamaran with it."

"Cyborg?" Robin said, looking at him expectantly.

Cyborg scratched his head. "I don't know what to do, dawg. That type of machine… it puts too much at risk."

"I bet I can get it," Red X said. All eyes turned to him. He smirked, leaning causally against the T-ship. "Did you kids just forget about my _very_ specific skill set?"

"Didn't you hear what Galfore just said? You can't just snatch it and go."

"Trust me," Red X said confidently, interlocking his fingers and flexing them. "How hard could it be?"


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Author's Note: I'M BACK! I can't tell you guys how sorry I am for not updating... I really should have told you my schedule at the end of the previous chapter. Immediately after finals week, I had to get on a plane and fly out of the country to flee from thnx4killingme (nah just kidding) but really my family and I went on a 2-week vacay and I didn't have time to write on the trip so I hope you guys understand. But now I'm back, school's over, and I will be able to post weekly :) So read on, and don't forget to tell me what you think by leaving a REVIEW! FAVES/FOLLOWS are also appreciated thank you so much guys for staying with me it really means a lot :")**

 **To laniDG11: Thank you so much omg this really put a smile on my face :D I do hope that I answer your questions throughout the story and who knows... I might write a sequel if I'm not able to answer all of those in this one *wink wink* Again, really sorry for the late update, hope you enjoy this one and thanks again! **

**To Levi16:** **Thank you thank you! Really appreciate the support :D Glad you liked it!**

 **To thnx4killingme:** **I really really like your enthusiasm I'm not kidding HAHAHA you remind me of my little sis XD Finals were a pain, but I managed to push through but thanks for the prayers and the review! (I can't even begin to apologize for not updating pls don't assassinate me I have more stories to post *cough* sequels *cough*)**

 **To reader . scorpio: It's alright hahahaha thanks for coming back and reviewing anyways :D Thank you also for the support it really means a lot to me :") (finals suck btw it's really creatively draining)**

 **To 4Eva Dreaming:** **Firstly I like your username :D Secondly, thank you so much! I was a wee bit worried that I may have made Red X a little OOC but it's what works with my story and quite frankly, he's a complex character... which is why I love him so much :) Hope you like this one and I'm really sorry that I kept you waiting... enjoy!**

 **To 9linn8:** **Awww thank you so much! :") Sorry for the late upload, but I still hope you stick around and read this one!**

 **To Datan-shi. okami:** **I wish it was but I was going for the typical Red X x Starfire x Robin... but you never know I might change things up a bit *cough* maybe in the sequel *cough* Hope you still stick around to find out ;) Thanks for the review!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

* * *

"The gem is at its full capacity," Val-yor noted. His computers were beeping madly as light from the Imperium Crystal pulsed, turning almost the exact same shade of green as the eyes of the Tamaraneans. The last of them were being hauled away to the dungeons by schlurches, their bodies hanging limp and unmoving. They didn't even put up much of a fuss. _Troqs,_ Val-yor thought in disgust, cringing inwardly. _No wonder the Gordanians invaded this planet._

Blackfire tossed her hair impatiently, the heels of her boots clacking loudly against the floor as she approached him. "It will hold _all_ their energy," she said in utmost confidence, "With nothing and _no one_ left to defend Tamaran, I'll be unstoppable."

Val-yor rolled his eyes, but Blackfire didn't notice. He still questioned himself as to why he chose to work with a Tamaranean—and a _princess_ at that. But his thoughts were disrupted when all of a sudden, a loud boom echoed within the walls, shaking the railings of the platform. The Imperium Crystal glowed ominously at the blast, the force field surrounding it pulsing slightly. Val-yor leaned over the railings and narrowed his eyes at the intruders.

"Sorry to crash the party," Robin said, "but it looks to me that there _is_ someone left to defend this planet."

"And that's us!" Beast Boy added. The Titans stood in the hole they blasted through the wall, their stances ready—behind them was Galfore, the largest and fussiest Tamaranean he had had to deal with, accompanied by a rather lean man clad in a black suit, the eyes on his skull-like mask piercing and narrowed to horizontal slits.

"TITANS, GO!"

* * *

The Titans lunged with Robin in the lead as hundreds of schlurches attacked them, jumping at them from the upper platform than lined the dome ceiling with green projectile slime oozing from their mouths. The drones that were hovering around transformed into the same type of robot that Red X fought on the ship, their huge hammer-like hands prepared to crush their enemies. "Get them!" Val-yor ordered from above. He raised his gloved hands and fired a continuous flow of explosive X-shurikens at the schlurches, causing them to explode to bits of green goop. The center stalk whirred and light from the platform above them shined brightly. "Careful, X!" Cyborg warned. He punched a robot squarely on the jaw just before it could smash him with its hands. "That thing's in a balance! If you tip the scale, we'll all go down with it!"

"Then what do you suggest I do?" Red X shouted back, teleporting away when another robot came charging at him. Galfore charged as well, him and the robot colliding with a force that shook the entire building. Beast Boy, who morphed into the same alien animal as Galfore's steed, and Raven were back to back, her dark energy tearing the schlurches apart at the same time shielding herself from the slime projectiles. Beast Boy roared, his huge maw closing down on the upper half of a schlurch, biting it off and spitting it back out immediately, returning back to his original form. "GROSS!" he winced, tears forming in his eyes as he desperately tried to wipe the taste off of his tongue.

"Do you see Starfire?" Robin asked. He swung his staff around, twirling it with his nimble fingers, slicing the schlurches in his way. Red X looked up just as Val-yor descended on him, almost crushing him if not for Cyborg's timely sonic blast. He didn't have the time to say thanks—Beast Boy was knocked against the wall by a robot, which glowered over him with a raised hammer fist. He teleported instantly, extending his foot as reappeared, kicking the robot and throwing it off balance. The robot was stunned, but it charged still. Red X threw Beast Boy to the side as the robot's fist collided with the wall, creating a deep dent on it. Red X slapped an X-shaped time bomb on its side and grabbed Beast Boy by the arm, leading him away before the robot exploded. Raven shielded them both from the blast with her force field. "I'm going for the crystal," he said, leaving Beast Boy by Raven's feet. He didn't catch what Raven said after, though it sounded like she was complaining about always being the babysitter. He took off in teleportation immediately, reappearing in front of a computer panel facing the Imperium Crystal—a rather small white gem that pulsed neon green light. As Galfore mentioned, a force field protected the gem and prevented its energy from escaping. All he had to do was find away to bring the shield down. His fingers were about to drum on the keypad when a glass capsule caught his eye, just across from him. He instinctively left the panel and ran to Starfire, her body limp and unmoving inside. "Cutie?" he said, pressing his forehead on the glass. " _Starfire_? Starfire, wake up! I'm here. I'm gonna get you out, just hang on." He shot an X-portal at the glass, creating an opening wide enough for him to get Starfire out. She fell into his arms, her eyes barely open. She looked worse—dark circles appeared under her eyes, and her face looked shriveled up and hollow like a skull. Her right eye opened slightly as he brushed the hair from her face and pressed two fingers under her jaw to check her pulse, which was faint. "Hey there," he said. Starfire just smiled weakly, lacing her arms automatically around his neck as he carried her. "Not so fast, tough guy," a voice said behind him. He didn't have the time to look back—ultraviolet energy hit him squarely in the back, sending him and Starfire off the railing. He managed to hold on the edge of the platform with one hand while the other desperately reached out for Starfire's—and he nearly missed. His fingers closed tightly around Starfire's, but he could feel her slipping. "ROBIN!" he yelled, but he was too busy fighting the schlurches that were overpowering Galfore. Starfire's head lolled to the side, her hand slipping out of his grasp even further. He looked up, and saw Blackfire glowering over him with a wicked grin plastered on her face, her eyes glowing lilac purple.

" _DICK!"_

Robin looked up in shock at the sound of his true name, just as Blackfire stomped hard on Red X's hand, causing him to cry in pain as he let go of the railing. Starfire's hand slipped from his as he fell. He teleported and reappeared just above Blackfire, shooting a concentrated beam of Xenothium energy at her, which she dodged by flying straight up. He landed on the platform, racing to the edge in time to see Robin soaring through the air, catching Starfire's unconscious body before it collided with the concrete floor. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're new. Name's Blackfire," she said, landing behind Red X and striking a pose, " _Empress_ Blackfire."

"Not interested," Red X snapped, shooting X-shurikens in her direction as he turned. Her eyes glowed light purple, shooting the shurikens out of the air—but it caused her to be distracted, allowing Red X to grab her midsection and throw her down. She grunted as she hit the floor, her eyes still glowing. "You're sister's _cuter,_ though. She single?" he teased. He disappeared when Blackfire gritted her teeth together, right before another beam of violet energy shot from her eyes. She got up and he reappeared, throwing his right fist at her.

She caught it in her own hand with ease. Red X stared at their hands in disbelief, his entire arm shaking as he fought against her strength. "You're strong for an earthling," she noted, pressing down and twisting Red X's wrist, causing him to wince in pain and buckle down to one knee. "She may be, as you say, 'cuter', but I'm _stronger_."

She kicked him hard, the sole of her boots colliding with his chest, sending him to the opposite wall. He turned and flipped mid-air despite the pain, landing gracefully like a cat at the opposite end of the platform. Sweat trickled down his back and his heart was racing. He breathed hard, trying to even his gasps. Violet bolts appeared at her hands as she approached him menacingly. "I always was the better fighter. Still think you can beat me, tough guy?" she cooed, smirking evilly.

"Are you kidding me?" he said, levelling his tone. He stood up, his X-blades sprouting from the back of his gloves, their red tips gleaming.

"I can do this all day."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Author's Note: Hi guys! Told yall I'll be updating weekly now ;) School's officially over, and I've got all these time on my hands which of course I will dedicate to writing :) Hope you enjoy this one and as always don't forget to REVIEW/FAVE/FOLLOW my story! :D Thanks!**

 **To laniDG11: Thanks for the review! :D Frankly, Red wouldn't have called him by his real name if he had cleaned his ears and heard him the first time *tsk tsk Robin* Enjoy reading :D**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **It's real nice to see you again omg I've missed your thoughts :D Thank you for understanding and for the review! Anyways, I didn't know what came over me when I decided that Red should call Robin by his name, but I guess that's going to be essential for some... um... future projects ;) As for Red walking out of this one in one piece, I guess you should just read on and find out :D**

 **To brenda sianipar:** **Thank youuu omg I'm flattered hehehe ily too girl thanks for the review! :"D**

 **To Levi16: Well, I guess you should just read on and find out :D I'm on time for updates this time, hope I didn't make you wait too long and I do hope that this chapter lives up to your expectations ;) Thanks for the review!**

 **To thnx4killingme:** **Thanks :D And I hope everything goes/went well with your finals! You have my prayers and good luck! :D (srsly tho I hope you survive the horror that is exams because I have a few more plots and stories up my sleeve *wink wink*)**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

* * *

Red X charged at Blackfire, his rotating X-blades deflecting the purple blackbolts. She fired at him in a continuous wave, throwing her arms around one after the other, taking off high in the air when he got close. He turned just before she fired a concentrated beam of ultraviolet energy at him, countering it with his own Xenothium energy. The impact created a low boom that reverberated off the walls, shaking the railings and causing the force field around the Imperium Crystal to pulse. "Careful now, tough guy," she said, smirking viciously. He eyed the crystal; this was what she wanted, to set the machine off while he was distracted. He had to keep his fight with Blackfire away from the stupid crystal.

"Stop calling me that," he hissed. "It's making me cringe."

"You honestly don't know what you're doing, do you?" she teased. She tossed her hair as she landed a few feet in front of him. His fingertips tingled with anticipation, the Xenothium ore in his belt growing warm. "Aren't you supposed to ask me why I'm doing this? I mean, that's what _good_ guys usually do to waste time."

Red X rolled his eyes, scowling darkly at the Tamaranean. "That's Robin's thing. I don't need to know why you're doing what you're doing to say that you're half psycho and half crazy, and that you have to be stopped."

A concentrated purple beam hit Red X squarely on the chest, hurling him to the opposite end of the catwalk near the panel controlling the machine. He grunted, eyeing the panel; he figured that if he couldn't stop Blackfire, he would have to stop the machine itself. Red X got up and ran for the panel, but Blackfire was quicker. She blasted the panel to bits, sparks coming out of the console and smoke rising from the hole in the middle of the keypad. "I take back what I said earlier," Red X hissed through gritted teeth. "You are _a hundred percent_ crazy."

Light from the Imperium Crystal glowed so bright that the lens in his mask took a while to adjust. The domed ceiling began to move, rotating faster and faster by the second. The whirring from the machine filled his ears as the gem started to warm up. Blackfire was laughing maniacally, shouting over the machine with her eyes glowing viciously, "Did you honestly believe that you could stop this? In a few moments' time, your precious Earth will be reduced to nothing but smithereens! And no one will ever dare to question Empress Black—OOMF!"

She fell back, falling off the other side of the railing. Cyborg stood behind Red X, alongside Robin, his cannon smoking. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" Cyborg called after her, "I couldn't hear you over my sonic boom!"

Robin extended a hand to Red X, which he took, and helped him stand up. Red X fought not to wince; his sides and back were soar, and his legs were wobbly and weak. "Where's Starfire?" he yelled. The panels of the dome ceiling began to release sparks of green electricity. The force field around the Imperium Crystal was slowly fading, the gem inside giving off an ominous green glow as it rotated on its axis. "She's down below with Galfore," Robin replied. Red X looked over the railing, refusing to make eye contact with Robin. He can feel the tension rolling off of him, and the question in his tone; he did call him by his _real_ name to get his attention earlier. He saw Val-yor unconscious on the ground by Beast Boy and Raven, with a pile of dismantled robots and drones surrounding them. Galfore was kneeling on the side with Starfire in his huge arms. She was barely moving, but Red X could see that she was trying to get up. Blackfire was nowhere to be seen.

"Robin, there's nothing I can do!" Cyborg yelled before Robin could open his mouth to ask the question he had been dying to ask Red X. "The circuits are fried. We're too late."

"There has to be another way!" Robin shouted back. There was a strong wind within the building now, caused by the movement of the domed ceiling. The lens in the center, and the spire outside, moved down the side of the dome—pointed, Red X assumed, directly at Earth.

"Robin, get everyone out!" Red X said. Robin didn't move; his hands kept opening and closing, and a nerve in his temple kept throbbing madly as he stared at the broken console. " _Robin!"_ Still, he wouldn't budge. Red X grabbed both of his shoulders and said, "Get _her_ out."

He looked at him. There was a defiance in his eyes, however dulled by the despair of not being able to stop the machine. The catwalk shuddered—Blackfire was back, firing continuous blackbolts at them. Red X pushed Robin as the blackbolts cut in between them, Robin's back slamming into Cyborg. "EVACUATE NOW!" Red X commanded.

"BUT THE MACHINE—"

"I'LL HANDLE IT! JUST GET STARFIRE AND EVERYONE OUT! NOW!"

Truth be told, Red X didn't have a plan. But he prayed that he had enough time to come up with one; he didn't have plans to die today.

* * *

It took Robin all of his willpower to yell above the noise of the wind and the machine. "TITANS, RETREAT! FALL BACK, GET OUT OF HERE!"

He jumped off the railing with Cyborg in tow, leaving Red X on the platform to deal with Blackfire _and_ the machine. What made him do it, he'll never know—he just entrusted the lives of billions to a criminal. But there was so little time, he didn't know what to think. He landed on the floor and ushered his team out of the building. Cyborg had cuffs around Val-yor's wrists and ankles, and was carrying him over his arm and out the building. Beast Boy was heavily leaning against Raven's side, but they managed to get out as well. Galfore was weary, but he carried Starfire nonetheless. The interior of the building was so bright that Robin couldn't see. Electricity surged through the air from the ceiling to the center stalk, which was at its brightest. The wind inside was a hurricane, and Red X and Blackfire were lost to the brightness above. He didn't know what was happening, and he didn't know how to help.

Once out, he saw that the spire, which was previously at the top of the dome, was now protruding from its side instead.

"Koriand'r!" Robin heard behind him. He turned and saw Starfire, shrugging off Galfore's muscular arms as he tried to stop her from going back inside. "Star, it's too dangerous," Robin said, blocking her way and placing restraining hands on her shoulders.

"Get… out… of my… way…" she breathed, collapsing to her knees. "Red… is still… in there…"

"Star—"

"He needs… help…"

"There's nothing I can do—"

Starfire bunched her fists on the material of Robin's shirt. There was a plea in her eyes.

"Save _him._ "

And at that exact moment, a loud explosion reverberated off the walls within the building behind them.

* * *

Red X charged at Blackfire with ferocity, throwing an electric shock X-gadget at her hand which disabled her blackbolts. She reeled back, shaking her hands, her eyes glowing dangerously. He threw a punch but she countered, blocking him and jabbing his midsection. A wave of pain shot through him, but he refused to buckle. The forcefield around the Imperium Crystal was almost gone—the gem was glowing acid green, and the strikes of lightning within the building were getting brighter and more intense. "It's almost time!" Blackfire yelled. Red X's lower abdomen felt warm. His belt was thrumming to life, the Xenothium tubes behind them sparking and dimly glowing. Red X's head snapped up just as Blackfire jumped at him with her boot directly above his head. He teleported right behind Blackfire, throwing a roundhouse at her back, but she was too quick— she grabbed hold of his leg and tossed him, right at the center stalk. Electricity coursed through his veins as he made contact with the crystal, making him cry out in pain as he fell on his knees.

"You're _pathetic,_ " she said in disgust. Red X braced himself against the pedestal that held the Imperium Crystal. He could feel blood dripping from the corner of his mouth behind the mask, feel the sweat cascade down the middle of his back and the tingling sensation at the back of his neck. "You're not one of them," Blackfire continued, sneering. "So why try to be one?"

"You're right," Red X replied, his voice raspy, the metal taste of blood pooling in his mouth. The machine whirred; the force field protecting the crystal was gone. He could feel the machine vibrating under his feet, and he knew that only had a few seconds left. "I'm no hero."

"Then what are you?"

It was his turn to smirk. Red X turned. Blackfire's eyes widened, her jaw dropping to the floor, her face a mask of disbelief and utter horror.

" _I'm a thief._ "

In his hand, small and glowing faint green, was the Imperium Crystal. On the pedestal, piled clumsily and vibrating wildly, were tubes of red Xenothium ore, all of which were emitting reddish vapor and sparks inside the tube.

"NO!"

Red X smiled in victory just as the center pedestal exploded, the blast causing a ripple effect of red energy that spread outwards, throwing both of them off the platform.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author's Note: Hello again! :) Now, if you've been reading until this point, then you may (or may not have) realize/d that this story's about to end—and it will. I intended to keep it short, really like one of the episodes just in written form. The next update will be the last, an epilogue if you will... and maybe a sneak peek of what's next ;) As always, thank you so much for understanding and for all the REVIEWS/FAVES/FOLLOWS :D Enjoy reading this one :)**

 **To brenda sianipar:** **Aww shucks :") Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this one! :D**

 **To Levi16: I've a thing for cliffhangers... hope you read on and find out ;) Thanks for the review!**

 **To laniDG11: I'm really really sorry hehehe but don't worry I promised to update weekly and here I am :D Thank you for the review and I hope you like this update! :D**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

* * *

"Red!" Starfire cried.

The ground shook. Robin turned and ran back inside without wasting a breath, ignoring Cyborg's warnings and outbursts behind him. "That's a blackhole—it'll take you and the entire building with it! ROBIN!" Robin didn't know what Red X did and how he did it, but Cyborg was right. Once inside, he fought to keep his feet on the ground. Panels were peeling off of the sides of the building, debris flying in a hurricane around them and getting sucked into a fiery ball of red light above him where the Imperium Crystal had been. Blackfire was nowhere to be found, and he was almost sure that he was too late when he saw a figure at the far end of the building. He ran to Red X's limp body as fast as he could, dodging debris, deflecting them with his staff and jumping on and over them with olympic agility. He hit the deck hard when a panel flew past, which nearly split his body in half. He looked up. Red X was unmoving—it was hard to tell whether he was breathing or not, and he hoped it wasn't the latter. His body was floating a few inches off the floor, his cape swishing madly in the wind created by the vortex.

Robin got up and ran for him, just as the panels behind Red X detached and flew straight for him.

* * *

Starfire couldn't breathe, think and move. She was haunched helplessly by the hole in the building, far enough away not to get sucked in but close enough to see inside—which wasn't much, since dust gathered around the building's base, the inside wind causing flumes of dirt that was difficult to see through. Half of the dome ceiling had collapsed inward, revealing part of a glowing red orb that resembled the heart of a star. She was braced against Galfore's massive arm, which held her back from going in herself. "What's happening?" Beast Boy asked behind them.

"Red X must have found a way to switch the Imperium Crystal with Xenothium," Cyborg said.

"Which created a contained vortex, imploding the building," Raven continued.

 _Please,_ Starfire prayed, _oh X'hal, please let them be safe. Please let them both be safe._

But her heart dropped as each second passed and no one came out of the building. Tears streamed down her face as she cried out, her nails digging into Galfore's skin. He tried to calm her down, but it didn't stop the wave of tears cascading down her cheeks. It was all her fault. She should have been more careful so that her powers didn't get stolen in the first place. She should have done something, anything, to help herself but no. She had to let her fears overcome her. And now she would not only lose Robin, but Jason as well.

 _Jason._ She sobbed harder, her gasping breaths rocking her body, her throat so dry she actually felt like throwing up. She was drowning in her own cries that she didn't hear her friends panicking behind her.

"Robin's taking too long—"

"Rae, get them out!"

"I'm trying—"

"That thing's about to explode!"

"—I can't make contact with them—"

"LOOK!"

"BRACE YOURSELVES!" Galfore yelled.

He wrapped his arms around Starfire, completely covering her, as the rest of the building was sucked into the fiery red star, collapsing in on itself as the star shrank for half a second before bursting outwards in a wave of hot, red energy.

There was silence. The dust cleared, and Starfire peeked through Galfore's beard. She didn't know what she was expecting. She gasped, finally releasing the breath she had been holding. She escaped his embrace, wobbled to the two caped figures lying face first on the ground and collapsed between them. Robin was conscious, his usually styled hair tousled and wind blown. There was a gash on his arm, and he was massaging his side. There were streaks of dirt on his cheeks and clothes, and he hastily wiped them away with his gloved hand. Starfire threw her arms around his neck weakly, unable to say how grateful she was that he was alive, sobbing instead into the crook of his neck. She pulled back to look at him, and he looked at her, but in an instant his eyes dropped from her gaze guiltily. Starfire turned to Red X, who, on the other hand, wasn't moving.

"Red?" she whispered. She turned him over, his upper body resting on her lap. The slits on his mask for the eyes were somewhat closed and dim. " _Red?_ " she said again, louder this time. She was feeling faint; her head was spinning, despair rolling off of her in waves. Her heart raced twice its normal speed, and her hands were shaking uncontrollably. She bent down, placing her ear against his chest. She heard nothing. "Red!" she cried, her voice shaking, her fingers checking and double-checking for a pulse. Nothing.

She bit her quivering lip to stop the tears forming at the back of her throat, but they slipped nonetheless. "Raven, please, help him," she said, desperately looking at her friend. Raven didn't move. Her expression was a mask of sorrow. "Raven, _please._ "

"I can't."

She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to accept it. Red X could not die on her. _Jason will not die on her._ Not if she could help it. Starfire weakly banged on his chest with her loosely closed fist, the remainder of her strength faltering as she sobbed. "Wake up," she said, over and over again, louder and louder still. "I demand you to wake up. Please, you cannot leave me. _Wake up._ "

"Star—"

She checked his pulse. Pressed her ear against his chest. Listened for his breathing. She leaned in, her lifeless hair falling off her shoulder to cover her face. She spoke, ever so softly, pleading, whispering in his ear, "Jason, please. If you can hear me, please come back. Come back _to me_."

She leaned back and hoped that it would work, just like in the movies that Beast Boy had her watch on the TV. But a few seconds passed. And then a minute. Nothing.

Then Raven's head snapped up. "Wait! I-I can feel him!" she stuttered in shock. She quickly ran to Starfire's side, her hands glowing dimly as she worked to get Red X's consciousness up and running, her eyes closed in concentration, her lips moving as she chanted her mantra under her breath.

There was slight movement. One of Red X's fingers twitched. His chest heaved shallowly, and the pulse under Starfire's fingertips grew stronger. His head turned on her lap, agonizingly slowly. Then, he spoke.

"Even in death, you won't quit bossing me around, princess."

She couldn't help herself. She smacked him on the shoulder, tears of joy and relief escaping her eyes. A wide smile tugged at the corner of her lips as he coughed loudly, and Robin helped him sit up. Red X groaned, leaning back, resting his weight on his left palm while his right hand massaged his chest. Starfire was beyond relieved; she laced her arms around him, her breaths coming in as overjoyed gasps. She could feel him smile, his hand reaching behind her and clapping her on the back as he returned the hug.

* * *

"Cutie, you're suffocating me," Red X whispered in her ear. Starfire reeled back, smiling sheepishly, pushing her hair behind her ear in embarrassment. He always loved how flustered she looked every time he called her 'cutie'.

Robin hand his hand out, helping him up with a proud smile on his face. "Glad I got to you in time."

Red X dusted off his suit as he stood. The words slipped his mouth before he had the chance of masking it behind his usual snide remarks. "Thanks, kid."

Cyborg and Beast Boy did a double take. Raven merely raised an eyebrow. "Did he just say what I thought he said?" Beast Boy asked.

"Oooh, I think he did," Cyborg agreed.

"Plus, it was genuine," Raven added, a hint of amusement in her otherwise monotonous voice.

"Gee, X, I didn't think you'd actually be _that_ nice."

Red X groaned. "Somebody kill me."

There was a cough behind them. Galfore stood as well, rising to his full height. Starfire leaned heavily against his leg. He was still intimidating despite the weariness that creased his forehead. "This was all for naught," he said sadly, his voice a low rumble. "Blackfire is gone, and so is the Imperium Crystal."

"Actually," Red X interjected. He pulled something from a secured pocket in his belt. "It's right here. The crystal, I mean." He held it up; the crystal was still glowing bright green, and it fit perfectly in his hand. A small part of his mind was nagging about something, but he pushed it aside. For now.

With a flourish and a swish of his cape, he bowed before Starfire, handing the Imperium Crystal to her. "Princess," he said, looking up at her with a wink, grinning.

She smiled and took the crystal in her hand, her touch seemingly activating the gem, bathing Tamaran in bright green light that danced like the Northern lights in the starry night sky.


	16. Epilogue

**Author's Note: Can't believe this will be my last A/N... for now ;) I won't keep this long, as I have dedicated the last update for my personal thanks to you guys :") Please, enjoy reading and, as usual, leave a REVIEW/FAVE/FOLLOW! :D (please read the acknowledgements hehehe it's for you guys and there are treats there!)**

 **To Levi16: Thank you! :D Really glad you enjoyed it :D**

 **To Miss geek:** **OMG I'VE MISSED YOU! :D I'm really glad that you came back... I'll admit that I got worried... :( Thank you so much for the review and I'm really happy that you liked it! ;)**

 **To AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust:** **Ahh yes... Avengers: Infinity War... excuse me while I go sob HAHAHA I'm not crying *sobs anyway* XD All jokes aside, I guess I got a little carried away with writing and I couldn't wait to upload hehehehe I practically wrote this one in one sitting so... yeah hehehe :D Thanks for your review and I'm really sorry that I caused you to worry about Jason XD**

 **To brenda sianipar:** **Me too! HAHAHAHA thanks for the review! :D**

 **To X . summergrey . X: I had to put spaces between the full-stops in your name, hope you don't mind... anyways I'm sorry but for me, Tamaran is long gone and cannot be restored... however, I do like that idea and I wish I could have thought of that while I wrote the outline for my story. Still, thank you for the reviews! :)**

 **To reader . scorpio: We can safely say that Red X's funny bone is still intact after the incident hahahaha :D Thanks for the review!**

 **To KnightLawn: Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed reading! :D**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything except the story line and plot of this story.**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE**

* * *

The victory celebration was nothing if not extravagant.

The Imperium Crystal had been destroyed for good measure after Starfire released their powers. Val-yor had been sentenced to life in prison on Tamaran. Blackfire, on the other hand, had disappeared. Many believed that she had been sucked into the vortex created when Red X switched the Imperium Crystal with Xenothium, and some had said that she'd simply escaped after realizing that her plans had been thwarted yet again. Others, like Galfore and Robin, had still been skeptical. A planet-wide search had been conducted, but Blackfire had never been found. Beast Boy had drawn up an interesting theory board during their search, his top theory being that Blackfire had shrunken to the size of an amoeba and was hiding somewhere in the ground beneath their feet. Raven and Cyborg had rebutted his theory, arguing for hours since Beast Boy had kept feeding them more theories after the two had disproved the last. Starfire had been mourning the loss of her sister, the last remnant of her family, and had been silent most of the time, staring blanky through the window of their "theory room" as Beast Boy had called it. Red X had kept her company while the others continued searching. He had remained as quiet as she, but once he had asked her how she was doing, and she had let a few tears fall, leaning on his shoulder. After her sobs had died, she hadn't pulled back from his embrace. "She was still my sister, after all," she had said. "But I am afraid she had already done too much—to me, and to her people. Only X'hal can redeem her now."

The Royal Palace was alive with lights and festivities. In the morning—or, what Red X _assumed_ as morning, though it was probably closer to afternoon—after the search, there was a parade through the streets of the village. He and the rest of the Titans were aboard a gleaming, silver chariot pulled by two large beasts. The chariot was almost as large as one of the parade floats Red X had seen during celebrations back in Gotham. Galfore was seated on an elevated throne at the rear of the chariot, two guards standing still beside him and four more walking on either side of the chariot. Starfire stood near the foot of the throne with Robin, her fiery red hair catching the wind. She was grinning from ear to ear, waving at her people ever so often, blowing them a few kisses every now and then. Red X allowed himself a small smile; at least she was back to being the energetic Starfire that he loved. Robin was still beside her, his lips curved upwards slightly. He stole glances at Starfire before his eyes scanned the rest of the crowd. Red X avoided him most of the time, due to the tension and unanswered questions Robin had for most part. Beast Boy and Cyborg were posing in front, making weird faces and grunting sounds when they flexed and showed off. Raven looked like she was ready to slap the two and kick them to the curb, but she didn't. He hung apart and away from the group, feeling more uncomfortable as the minutes ticked by. The crowd was cheering and throwing what appeared to be flower petals in the air as they passed. Red X kept his gaze forward. There was an unsettling feeling in his gut that he didn't appreciate. He wondered if it was because he was actually being _praised_ by hundreds of people for doing something _good,_ and he just wasn't used to the feeling. He could hear people calling him a _"hero"_ from all around, and he had to suppress a groan. _There goes my reputation,_ he thought to himself.

He dismissed his other thoughts when the chariot stopped before the palace gates. The crowd poured in before they could even enter. Red X couldn't see past the heads, but he could tell that the interior of the castle was bathed in bright, sunny yellow light. After the crowd was settled, trumpets from somewhere sounded, heralding their entrance. Of course, Galfore strode in first, the Tamaranean crown gleaming on his head, his shoulders back and chin high. Afterwards, Starfire followed with the Titans, and then Red X in the back. The entrance hall was huge. A deep purple carpet led to the silver throne up front, lined with more Tamaranean guards. The crowd was silent as they walked, though their positive energy and beaming smiles spoke volumes. There were tall, open spaces that probably led to balconies on either side, allowing a perfect view of the dark purple sky. Red X considered making a run for it, but thought better and held his ground. He and the Titans fell in a line before Galfore, who was marching up the steps to his throne. Red X couldn't help but notice how he was in stark contrast with the others—he still wore his villainous garb, the slits for his eyes narrowed and menacing. He wondered how people weren't dubious of his character; personally, he didn't look like the ratified superheroes beside him. Speaking of, Red X somehow managed to stand next to Starfire, and she winked at him sideways, offering him a genuine smile. He smiled back, waggling his eyebrows as he did. She fought back giggles. "X'HAL!" Galfore said upon reaching the throne, his voice echoing in the hall, his fist pumping once on his chest. The crowd followed suit, bowing their heads in reverence. The Titans, including Red X, placed their right hand on their chest and got down to one knee. Galfore began the ceremony with a speech about heroism, and Red X got more and more uneasy with every word. He felt like he shouldn't be there; he was a _thief_ for crying out loud! _A rather excellent and good-looking thief who used his magically skilled thieving hands to save the lives of billions of people on both Tamaran and Earth,_ a small voice in the back of his head nagged. He shook his head as the implications of what transpired played in his mind. His fingers tingled in anticipation; he was really itching to steal just about _anything_ , as if his life depended on it, as if it would balance out things in his universe, to wrong the right that he did.

Red X managed to drown out most of Galfore's speech until his name was called. His head snapped up in shock, and without thinking he looked to the other Titans. All of them were looking at him expectantly. Only Starfire bore any semblance of pride in her features, especially in her smile. She stood up and pulled Red X to his feet, walking him to the center, right in front of Galfore. "My people are eternally grateful, Red X," Galfore said, loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear though he only addressed him. "I can never repay you enough for your noble actions to protect this planet, and your own for that matter. Not only have you saved us, but you have also protected our beloved Princess Koriand'r. You have gained my complete trust, and the everlasting respect of me and my people. Red X, X'hal!"

"X'hal!" cried the people.

The next few words were for the Titans and their services, and afterward, Galfore had announced dinner at the banquet hall. Red X was unfamiliar of Tamaranean traditions, and he stayed on the sidelines as much as he could. Tamaraneans were bustling about and digging into the buffet tables faster than Cyborg could chew. Starfire had disappeared into the crowd of swarming and hungry Tamaraneans, leaving the rest of the Titans openly gawking at the crowd. Apparently, table manners didn't exist on the planet. Food, which looked like goop to Red X, was flying everywhere. He managed to fight back the vomit that was crawling its way up his esophagus, remembering the stew Starfire had cooked up for him back in his old apartment.

He excused himself from the scene and silently went outside on the balcony, leaning his arms on the balustrade and staring unfocusedly at the barren landscape in front of him. These people will remember him as a hero and tell stories of the day he saved their world. He shuddered; even thinking about it made his insides squirm uncomfortably. Why was it such a bad thing? Why did feel right and wrong at the same time? For one, Red X never wanted to be seen as a _hero_. He wanted it badly out of his system as much as Robin's DNA. However, he wondered whether it's because of _that_ piece of him that made it hard for him to stay away from heroics. That being said, he never intended to save not just one, but _two_ planets. He'd come on this trip solely for Starfire, because she was the only other person Red X cared deeply about. But, he could have just saved her and let the Titans deal with the crystal, so why hadn't he?

His train of thought was in for a serious wreck, and was only spared by someone clearing their throat behind him. Red X didn't bother to straighten up; he knew that he would find him there. Instead, he turned his head sideways, glancing at the other, more spikey-haired boy with narrowed eyes. "Figured you'd be out here," Robin said simply, walking to stand beside him, leaving a little distance between himself and Red X. Blood rushed to Red X's ears, and he fought not to clench his fists and keep his breathing even. He kept his gaze forward, and was not about to show the panic in his composure. "Good for you, finally putting that bird brain of yours to use," he replied lightly, his tone jovial yet bored. Robin scowled at him, but he didn't argue. Red X could almost feel the anticipation hanging thickly in the air around them. He had been preparing himself for this moment, thought of numerous ways to throw Robin off and was recounting them all as the seconds wasted away, waiting for Robin to speak up. When he did, Red X held his breath. "Out in the field," Robin began, "you called me 'dick'. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious, _kid?_ It's because you _are_ one," Red X said coolly, rolling his eyes at Robin and looking back at the view.

"You're lying," he pressed on. It took all of Red X's willpower not to wring the other boy's neck. He clenched his jaw, straightening up and crossing his arms in front of his chest as Robin continued. "You knew I would turn when you said that—"

"—didn't peg you as a _self-proclaimed_ dick—"

"—and you did it to call my attention. It wasn't because you were mocking me. You called me by my name. How did you know my _name_?" Robin's tone shifted to demanding at the last bit, a nerve in his temple twitching like his left eye was, one of his hands closed tightly around his retractable staff and the other pointing accusingly at Red X. He tried to appear unfazed, but the movement of his Adam's apple as he gulped betrayed him. "I didn't know it _was_ your name," he lied, sounding unconvincing even to his own ears. "Spur of the moment name-calling. Not my best choice of words, however you do look like a _dick_ to me. No wonder that's what your parents named you."

"What do you me—?"

"Spare me your questions, kid," he said with a wave of his hand, dismissing Robin's question instantly. "Really, you should have been more careful of your reaction. Want to keep your identity a secret? Then don't come for people who called you out on it. You've just blown your own cover."

Robin opened his mouth just to shut it again. Red X could almost see the gears turning in his head, and he silently prayed to whatever deity he knew that Robin would fall for the bait. He groaned, exhaling sharply and Red X finally released the breath he was holding, his lips curling into a victorious smirk. "No one can know," he said, "I need your word on this, X."

"My, my, really that desperate are we? Anyone ever told you that a thief's word is worth no more than his honor?"

" _Your. Word. X,"_ Robin hissed through gritted teeth. Red X chuckled; he always found Robin's furiously distorted face amusing, especially since it was really _that_ easy to throw the kid into a fit. "What's in it for me?" Red X inquired, clasping his hands behind his back in an exaggerated manner.

Finally, Robin released a defeated breath. "I'll let you keep the suit," he grumbled.

"Done," Red X said instantly. Robin's eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "You have my dishonorable and completely non-existent thief's word that I will not tell anyone about your pathetic name, ' _Dick'_."

" _SHHH!"_ he hissed. Red X rolled his eyes. Robin stared at him in disbelief. "Really? As simple as that?"

"Yup."

"No games?"

"Nope."

"Sure?"

"Honestly, Robin. What more do you want?" Red X groaned in frustration. Robin merely smiled.

"Robin? Red?" a voice said. They both turned to see Starfire, her long silky hair a bit disheveled. There was a green smear of food from the left corner of her mouth to her cheek. She burped loudly and suddenly as soon as she opened her mouth, which she quickly covered bashfully with her hand, blushing. "We are ready to leave."

"Finally," Red X said, walking off, pausing only beside Starfire. "You got a little something on your face there cutie," he said. Before Starfire could register what he meant, he raised a gloved hand to her face, and slowly, almost languidly, wiped the goop off of her face, his fingers caressing the smoothness of her skin after. Starfire's breath hitched, and her eyes were flitting from Red X's eyes to where his lips would be. His face was inches away from hers, so close that he could easily count her lashes. He smirked and sauntered off, whistling merrily, feeling a hole burning in the back of his head from Robin's glare.

* * *

"Was it really necessary to stash me in the _trunk_?" Red X said incredulously, getting out of the said trunk and stretching until his shoulders popped. His back was aching, and his legs were sore. He couldn't crane his neck to the right, and he was pretty sure that the circulation in his toes had been cut off about thirty minutes after leaving Tamaran.

"Well, the T-ship only had space for five people," Cyborg said, though he was trying hard not to laugh. Red X stared at him through narrowed eyes. His broke his gaze when Starfire practically leaped on his, throwing her arms around his neck like a giddy little girl. He was surprised at first, but then he returned the gesture. He would never get enough of Starfire's overly enthusiastic hugs. "Thank you," she said. "You have saved my life, my people and both of my homes."

"Don't sweat it, princess," he said. He pulled away, despite every muscle in his body protesting against him. He suddenly missed her other-worldly warmth, and the beating of her extraterrestrial heart against his own. He was going to miss her. "If you need me, well... you probably won't be able to find me," he said, scratching the back of his head, not really knowing what he meant to say.

"Oh! About that," Starfire said, her cheeks turning pink. She stepped back and elbowed Robin sharply, causing the boy to wince and bend over. Starfire kept her gaze on Red X, and very sweet smile graced upon her lips. He chuckled.

Once Robin managed to straighten up, he cleared his throat, unable to look at Red X in the eye. "We appreciate the help, X." Robin's voice came out strained, barely understandable. He coughed and continued, "And— _cough—_ for saving the— _ehem—_ planet, we would like you to have this."

Robin inhaled deeply and extended his hand. On his palm was a Titans communicator. Red X stared at him, then at the device. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically, almost disgusted at the communicator.

"We are hereby making you an Honorary Titan of course!" Starfire said excitedly. She clapped her hands in delight, her smile reaching her eyes, incredibly beaming under the moonlight. Red X stared long and hard at the device. This was it; hell had frozen over—he had just been asked to become an _official good guy._

"Well?" Robin asked, breaking the awkward and stunned silence. "What do you say?"

Red X turned his back to him, holding up a hand and allowing himself to breathe first. The night air was brisk and chilly; he fought the urge to remove his mask. When he finally felt at ease, when his chest didn't feel as constricted as it had been, he finally spoke, but he didn't turn back. Instead, he glanced sideways at the boy, his signature smirk returning. "Don't push your luck, kid," he said. He teleported, reappearing behind the Titans. They turned just in time for them to see him twirling a small, glistening shard of the Imperium Crystal between his fingers, its glass-like surface reflecting the light of the moon. "I couldn't resist, cutie," he said apologetically, looking at the shard and then at Starfire, whose eyes had begun to glow bright green. He winked at her. That did it; Starfire exploded into a string of angry, Tamaranean curse words, lunging after Red X. "Catch you later," he said, and instead of giving his signature salute, he blew Starfire a flying kiss before he teleported into the night.

" _TITAN'S GO!"_


	17. Acknowledgements

**ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS**

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Yes, this story is finished. I'm sorry it was rather short, but really I was inspired by the episodes I re-watched last year, and I wrote this as if I were directing another episode because I really wanted the original Teen Titans show to continue :(

Gosh... I'll be missing replying to your fantastic reviews *dabs corner of eye with a napkin*

Firstly, thank you to the following reviewers:

To **MG/Miss geek** , for my first review, and for sticking up for my choice of pairing and reminding me that I am in control of my own story,

To **AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust** , for your deep thoughts and opinions, especially on Red X/Jason Todd's character, and for helping me understand a lot more about the characters I wrote about,

To **thnx4killingme** , for your ever-present enthusiasm in your reviews... especially about teleporting into my room and forcing me to update XD

Secondly, big thanks to the rest of my reviewers throughout the writing process, namely: **Levi16, LaniDG11, brenda sianipar, reader . scorpio, 9linn8, X . summergrey . X, Loftcat27, Welovenails, hope02, ilani261, Waterlily Angel, x-Misao-x, 4Eva Dreaming, Datan-shin. okami, KnightLawn, Guest, vi, Tir3dForever, crystal, star-redx fan,** and **Bruised Orange** :D Your kind words really mean a lot to me, and really helped me and encouraged me to keep writing :D

Thirdly, thank you for **those who followed and faved** my story. I won't list your names anymore but you know who you are ;) Thank you for supporting my story and sticking to every update :D

Fourth, a future thank you to **those who will still review** after the story's finished, I'd still really appreciate what you thought of each chapter, so don't hesitate to tell me what you think!

And lastly, thank you **to my readers** , present and future. I really hoped you enjoyed my story and I really appreciate that you gave me a chance to express my inner writer. Thank you for your never-ending support :)

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Even though I promised a sneak peek, I'm really hoping that you'll forgive me for not posting any :( I'm rather undecided what to do next.

I can assure you that **there will be a sequel** to this story—it'll deal more with Red X/Jason's past, and his relationship with Starfire, and her relationship with him and Robin. I'm really sorry that this fic didn't really emphasize that love triangle, but I promise, the sequel will be focused on that.

Also, someone approached me and said I should write a gender-swapped version of Teen Titans featuring female!Red X and female!Robin and male!Starfire—shout out to ObeliskX for the suggestion! I love this idea as well and I'm planning to write that down :D

I'll be posting a poll on my profile so that you guys, my super incredible readers, may choose what you want to read next... until then ;)

* * *

 _ **xoxo**_

 _ **Not Your Typical Teenager**_


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